MBGH Annual Employer Benefit Survey Reveals Growing Shift to Value-Based Bene...(hemselves carefulwatchers and conservati...),Health

Next steps - consumer focus groups

To assist employers in developing and communicating benefit programs, MBGH will study how employees view and react to various value-based health benefits. MBGH will conduct a series of focus groups to gain insight into consumers' understanding and perception of value-based health programs. Results of this effort will be announced later this year.

About the MBGH Employers' Readiness to Change Survey

The annual survey was developed to determine employer understanding, use of and readiness to adopt value-based benefit design (VBBD) strategies and to identify which strategies and experiences are currently being promoted or utilized by employers. Key survey components included employer demographics, positions on benefit philosophies and data activities.

MBGH developed the survey questions based on analysis of current VBBD strategies and programs. Survey questions were reviewed by a Project Advisory Council composed of leading employers, coalitions, researchers, health plans and consultants. The survey was disseminated to more than 60 business coalitions to distribute to their employer members throughout the country. Surveys were received from 114 employers representing a wide variety of industries, with a majority, 33 percent, in manufacturing. Of the responding companies 72% had greater than 1,000 employees and most were based in the Eastern and Midwestern portions of the U.S. Cost trends among the companies were consistent with national trends between 2005 and 2007, and a growing number of companies realized a decreasing trend. Data analysis was conducted by MBGH staff with funding and research support provided by GlaxoSmithKline.

About the Midwest Business Group on Health

The Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH) is one of the nation's leading coalitions of private and public employers. MBG
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