Insurers Must Push Employers to Reward Value

The leaders in benefit design have already stepped forward to test out innovation programs. Innovation usually comes from the private sector and then public programs try it later. (One only needs to see that value-based insurance design—also known as VBID—is part of health reform though leading employers have incorporated VBID into benefit design for almost five years.)

Though the private sector often leads, there are still plenty of employers not willing to test out new programs. Instead, they often look for more arcane ways to save on healthcare, such as shifting more costs onto the individual.

But that way of thinking is not sustainable.

Health insurers should help educate employers that trying benefit designs that reward value is the way to go. Yes, making these changes require employee education and will likely cause some employee pushback, but in the long run adding value is a possible way to avoid the $10,000 deductible.

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