Emphasis on financial vs nonfinancial criteria in employer benefits’ measurements

Emphasis on financial vs nonfinancial criteria in employer benefits’ measurements
JAMA Health Forum; Jeffrey Pfeffer, PhD; Esther Olsen, MHA; Sara J. Singer, PhD; 1/25
According to KFF, “60.4% of people [in the US] under age 65, or about 164.7 million people, had employment-sponsored health insurance in 2023.” Given employers’ large role in the health care ecosystem, what employers measure may affect access to care and how employees and their families interact with health care professionals. In a representative sample of 221 respondents involved in employer health benefits oversight, employers and their health benefits consultants focus more on financial than nonfinancial performance dimensions in both decision-making and measurement. To improve broader aspects of health plan performance, employer measurement and decision-making must emphasize nonfinancial as well as financial criteria.