One thing that's abundantly clear is that the cost of health care is increasingly a burden for individuals and their families that often outweighs the value they are receiving in return. This reality should lead us to ask some critical questions, not only about what solutions we're offering, but also about what experiences we're creating for individuals.

The following are three themes that continue to surface during our ongoing analysis of ways to better understand the obstacles individuals face when it comes to paying for health care. This information may be useful for brokers and consultants to review with employer clients, especially around enrollment season.

1. Individuals need immediate value from their health plan

If we want to meet the evolving needs of individuals and reduce the burden that health care expenses place on them and their families, we need to be innovative. Traditional health plans with high deductibles are increasingly designed to provide a safety net for the really sick, instead of making everyday health care needs affordable for the majority of employees. These plans require individuals to pay a significant amount out of pocket before they get anything in return – premiums, then deductibles and co-insurance, and often copays, too. It's not only a financial burden that often results in individuals choosing to defer medical care or to skip it altogether, it's also confusing and unpredictable. Today's savvy consumers demand better – and they should.