Employers should offer health plan options like car dealerships

Your health plan renewal came in higher than you expected. What can you do about it? (Here are 4 strategies to consider) 1.) 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗣𝗕𝗠, 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄. Pharmacy costs are exploding — and old-school PBMs are making a fortune from you and your employees. 2.) 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆. If you don’t have a plan to educate and transition eligible employees off your plan, expect higher renewal costs and late enrollment penalties for them. 3.) 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮, 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿. That alone can cut claims costs for everyone. 4.) 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵. When care is easy to access and free for employees and dependents, they actually use it and you avoid costly claims down the road. Every business is different. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲. #Q4 #RenewalSeason #Healthcare #Benefits #HR #CFO #CEO

⚠️ When the Pot Boils Over: Why Employers Need More Release Valves in Healthcare Every year, employer health costs climb higher — like steam building in a pot with no way out. And the tools most employers reach for? Blunt and damaging: raise the deductible, increase coinsurance, push up the max out-of-pocket. That pressure-cooker approach has left millions of employees functionally uninsured — technically covered, but unable to afford care when it matters most. 💡 What if employers had more release valves? Oxbridge Health’s Episode Benefit Plans and Episode Advantage program unlock new levers: 🎛️ Allowance thresholds: clear budgets for care, with rewards for choosing value 🎛️ Non-covered corridors: predictable guardrails for exceptions 🎛️ Shared savings: alignment instead of adversarial cost-shifting These valves turn a zero-sum game into positive-sum outcomes: ✅ Costs controlled ✅ Predictability restored ✅ Employees empowered Healthcare doesn’t have to keep boiling over. With more release valves, everyone wins. To learn more, visit www.oxbridgehealth.com

💡 The 3 R’s of Smart Health Benefits 1️⃣ Replicate – They mirror your current plan. Same network, same co-pays, same deductibles. 2️⃣ Remove – They strip out the hidden commissions, markups, and junk fees baked into traditional plans. 3️⃣ Replace – They deliver the same coverage at a lower cost — typically saving 20%+ for employers and employees. ✅ Same doctors. Same pharmacies. Same care. Less cost. More transparency. That’s how healthcare should work. And I'm proud to be able to bring resources like these to my business-owner clients. #SmartHealthBenefits #EmployeeBenefits #HealthInsurance

🎙 I recently joined Mike Lyon on Healthcare Leadership Live for a conversation about health benefits, just in time for benefits season! We dug into why cost containment matters, and how even smaller clinics, those who might think “I don’t have 50 employees, so this doesn’t apply to me,” can still offer meaningful coverage that supports both their people and their practice. Too often, employees in healthcare settings are told to “find your own coverage” or “use your spouse’s plan.” The result? Many go uninsured and aren’t caring for their own health. Which is a bit ironic when you think about it, especially in a medical office. If you lead a clinic or work in healthcare, I’d love for you to listen in. You’ll walk away with practical insights on creating benefits strategies that protect your team and your bottom line. 👉 Tune in here: https://lnkd.in/gPy7aUfF #HealthcareLeadership #EmployeeBenefits #CostContainment #WorkforceWellness

A small group of individuals is responsible for a large amount of healthcare spending, according to a new report by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Our sister site, BenefitsPRO, examines these high-cost claimants and their impact on everyone else. https://lnkd.in/eKfH3RUT #HealthcareSpending

Why are employees stuck with overpriced health plans that don’t meet their needs? Imagine360 President and CEO Jeff Bak poses a powerful question, and it’s one that every employer should be asking.    Too often, health plans are built like luxury vehicles: flashy, expensive, and more than most employees need. What employees really want is something reliable and affordable. Think Ford F-150: practical, dependable, and built to serve.    There’s a better way to deliver healthcare, one that puts employees first and drives real value. Reference-based pricing (RBP) is the right path, bringing transparency, affordability, and choice back to the table, without sacrificing quality. Read more in the comments ⬇️

Healthcare costs soaring? It's time we take action! The rising costs in healthcare are not just numbers on a chart; they affect each of us deeply. But what if we had a regulatory body to oversee these costs? Imagine healthcare as a well-coached sports team. Without regulations, it’s like having no referee in the game. Players (in this case, healthcare providers) act independently, leading to chaos rather than cohesive action. Creating a regulatory body could rein in these costs by providing guidelines that ensure fair play. It’s like assigning a captain who makes sure every member stays on track for the win. But let’s break it down with some actionable insights: 1. Transparency is Key: - Like tracking performance metrics in a business, we should demand transparency in healthcare costs. Understand what you’re paying for. Ask your provider to break down costs. 2. Empower Your Voice: - Just like in team meetings, speak up when something seems unclear or too expensive. Ask questions, compare prices, and seek second opinions if necessary. 3. Leverage Technology: - Use apps to track and compare healthcare costs. Think of it as using data analytics to improve team performance. 4. Stay Engaged: - Regularly review your insurance plans and healthcare spending. Being active and informed is akin to a team constantly assessing its game plan. By implementing these steps, individuals can begin to take control of their healthcare expenses. Every small action contributes to a bigger change. Let's kickstart a conversation: Do you think a regulatory body in healthcare could lead to more affordable services? Share your thoughts below! #HealthcareReform #CostControl #SmartConsumer #Empowerment

Your employees make healthcare decisions with limited information about costs and quality. Most people don't know if that MRI costs $500 or $5,000 until they receive the bill. They rarely have access to quality ratings for providers or facilities. Yet these are some of the most important financial and health decisions they'll make. It's interesting - we research restaurants and read reviews before choosing where to eat, but healthcare decisions often happen without that same level of information. Some employers are starting to provide cost and quality transparency tools for their teams. Instead of focusing only on network size, these employers prioritize giving their people the information they need to make informed choices. When employees have access to transparent cost and quality data, they can make healthcare decisions the same way they make other important purchases - with confidence and clarity. #HealthCare #EmployeeBenefits #Transparency #HealthInsurance #CommunityConnectedHealth

🚨 Health care is broken, but it doesn’t have to be. 🚨 Imagine walking into a dealership where your only option is a $150K G-Wagon. Luxurious? ✅ Practical or affordable? ❌ That’s exactly how our current health care system feels. Premium-priced PPOs dominate the landscape, but for many Americans, they’re just not sustainable. 💸 📊 Health care costs have risen 188% since 2005, while wages only grew 84%. No wonder nearly 40% of U.S. adults carry medical debt. 😟 But there’s hope and it’s called Reference-Based Pricing (RBP). 💡 🔍 Instead of paying inflated, opaque rates, RBP ties costs to transparent benchmarks like Medicare. The result? 💰 20% average savings for employers 📉 Lower premiums & out-of-pocket costs for employees 🛠️ More control & clarity in plan design For example, an Indiana-based employer gave workers a choice: 🚗 PPO or 🛻 RBP-powered plan 👉 Those who chose RBP saved $6,000/year in premiums and had $6,000 lower out-of-pocket maxes. That’s $12,000/year back in their pockets! 💬 Let’s start showing people not just the Mercedes in the showroom, but the F-150 too. ✅ Affordable ✅ Transparent ✅ High-quality It’s time to rethink the status quo. Let’s give employees the freedom to choose a health care plan that fits their needs and their budget. 💪 #EmployeeBenefits #HealthcareReform #ReferenceBasedPricing #CostContainment #BenefitsStrategy #HRLeaders #HealthCareInnovation #TransparencyMatters #RBP

The Highest Medical Trend in Years: Why Midsize Employers Are Exploring Alternative Funding 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most expensive years for employer-sponsored healthcare in recent memory. With medical trend at its highest in over a decade, many midsize employers are feeling squeezed. Staying fully insured often means one of two things: 1. Absorbing unsustainable premium increases, or 2. Shifting more costs to employees - leading to dissatisfaction and, ultimately, loss of key talent. But there’s another path forward. More employers are exploring alternative funding arrangements that offer greater control, transparency, and potential savings: 🔹 Self-Funding – Pay claims as they occur. High flexibility and data access, but also higher risk. 🔹 Level Funding – Predictable monthly costs with the potential for surplus refunds. 🔹 MERPs – Reimburse employees for qualified expenses, often used to offset high deductibles. 🔹 Reference-Based Pricing – A cost-containment strategy that redefines how providers are paid. These models aren’t one-size-fits-all—but they can be powerful tools for employers who want to manage rising costs without compromising employee experience. At Gallagher, we help employers evaluate these options through a strategic lens - balancing cost, compliance, and culture. If you’re feeling the pressure of this year’s renewal, now’s the time to explore what’s possible. #EmployeeBenefits #SelfFunding #LevelFunding #MERP #MedicalTrend2025 #HRStrategy #Retention #GallagherBetterWorks