Over the past 20 years, benefits data has shaped the benefits administration industry by unearthing trends that drive decision-making for employers. Brokers and benefits administration professionals use data — including diagnoses, treatments and costs — to identify trends in consumer behavior before they become widely known. In times of disasters and crisis, being able to quickly act on data insights becomes paramount. During the COVID-19 pandemic, data allowed businesses and benefits professionals to keep a finger on the pulse of changing consumer behavior, making it possible to calculate, advise and determine business and benefits package decisions in real-time.

Health and claims data are extremely powerful and, when leveraged by brokers and benefits consultants during, before, and after a crisis, can drive improvements across the entire benefits ecosystem. Robust databases and platforms with seamlessly integrated ecosystems of connected employers, brokers, health plans, and services partners create wide medical-data footprints and should be used to prepare for the next disaster on the horizon.

Identifying risks and providing solutions

Our relationship with health care technology has changed. It's no longer enough to look at data retroactively. Instead, we now expect technology platforms to use real-time data to drive better outcomes. In a post-COVID world, employers and employees are acutely aware of personal health risks and are demanding solutions to manage these risks. To best advise their clients, brokers and benefits professionals need to leverage technology platforms that use data to simulate outcomes and can proactively take action to get to the desired outcome. For example, the United States is currently facing a rising mental health crisis that is prompting businesses to pay greater attention to the overall mental health of their employees. Benefits platforms can leverage data to help identify and flag early indicators of mental health issues and burnout, enabling brokers and employers to intervene and mitigate the impact with technology solutions like automated communications and prompts that create proactive action steps.