The report, published Nov. 17, surveyed 1,917 public and private employers.
The number of employers offering free coverage to employees increased from 11% from 2022. Employers surveyed predicted their healthcare costs will rise 5.4% in 2024, though 45% of employers said they did not plan to increase cost-sharing for employees.
Some employers are charging premiums based on employees’ salaries. In 2023, 29% of large employers used salary-based contributions, which will rise to 34% in 2024.
Mercer is also seeing “increasing interest” from employers in network configurations beyond traditional PPOs, according to the consulting group’s report. Among employers with more than 20,000 employees, 29% offer some form of curated network, such as Aetna’s premier care network or Anthem’s high performance network.
Another 10% offer plans from smaller carriers like Centivo or Imagine Health, and an additional 10% use some other form of high performing network.
Employers are also planning to add more women’s reproductive health resources — 46% of employers surveyed plan to offer some form of benefits like high-risk pregnancy support or menopausal benefits in 2024, up from 37% in 2023.
At the Becker's 5th Annual Fall Payer Issues Roundtable, taking place November 2–3 in Chicago, payer executives and healthcare leaders will come together to discuss value-based care, regulatory changes, cost management strategies and innovations shaping the future of payer-provider collaboration. Apply for complimentary registration now.