Costs Remain Key Priority
Act . Instead , employers are looking at private health insurance exchanges where the employer continues to fund benefits but employees have the option to choose from any health plan they like .
“ Everyone is looking at how to better control benefit costs and healthcare is still the No . 1 issue ,” said Jim Gemus , senior vice president of Product for Prudential Group Insurance . “ But they are acutely aware of the need to retain employees and attract new ones . The improving economy and recovery of the financial markets is making it a bit easier to do this .”
Companies are still shifting healthcare costs to employees , with 80 percent either transitioning more costs to employees or likely to do so , the study found . Only 38 percent are willing to end employer-paid healthcare and direct employees to public health insurance exchanges . Fifty-seven percent say they wouldn ’ t consider the idea , but 41 percent would be willing to provide subsidies to employees for use on private health insurance exchanges .
The report found that an improving economy and stable financial markets have given financial executives the confidence to explore a range of options to help their companies better manage the costs and risks of their healthcare , pension and benefits programs .
“ Overall , finance executives feel that their companies are in a better financial position to consider a range of options for managing pension risk ; many companies have experienced an improvement in funded status as a result of equity market improvements combined with increasing discount
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