THE 2014 STATE OF HOUSTON HEALTH CARE

Transcription

1 THE 2014 STATE OF HOUSTON HEALTH CARE

2 THE 2014 STATE OF HOUSTON HEALTH CARE The Greater Houston area represents the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. It is not only home to 17% of the nation s largest companies, but also to over 94,000 small and medium companies making up our unique community of businesses with an annual payroll of over $47 billion. 1 In this thriving community, healthcare options abound seemingly providing every type of coverage and benefit possible. But are the healthcare needs of Greater Houston employees truly being met? And what do businesses in Houston really think about their current health care? To find out we surveyed over 250 employers in the Greater Houston area, asking them how they address the healthcare needs of their employees from the products they offer, to how often they switch carriers, to how they ensure the lowest rates. Take a look at these numbers from the Houston Health Care Business Insights, and see how your organization s expectation and offering of health care compares with other Houston businesses. 1. SBA.gov

3 WHAT DOES A HOUSTON BUSINESS LOOK LIKE? To grasp what makes health care in Houston tick, the survey focused on businesses with a range of organizational sizes and healthcare needs. Figure 1 shows the breakdown of the employer respondents, based on the number of benefit-eligible employees. Number of Benefit-Eligible Employees 4% 30% 33% 28% 5% FIGURE 1: TOTAL BENEFIT-ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES To identify and address the needs of the largest segment of Greater Houston businesses, the remainder of this report focuses on businesses with fewer than 500 employees, which represents 95% of the businesses surveyed. WHERE ARE EMPLOYEES LOCATED? Despite living in a time when telecommuting, remote workforces and large sales teams on the road are commonplace, nearly 87% of businesses surveyed have at least three-fourths of their staffs living within the Greater Houston area (Figure 2). This means that most businesses have the opportunity to select a single, top-quality carrier including local Houston-based options to meet the needs of all (or nearly all) of their employees. 13% Not in Houston 87% Houston FIGURE 2: EMPLOYEE LOCATION

4 WHAT HEALTHCARE BENEFITS ARE BEING OFFERED? 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Worker s Compensation 89% Health Insurance Return-to-Work Programs 73% 71% Executive Wellness 26% Health Assessments 20% Biometric Screenings 15% Accountable Care Online Health Services 6% 8% FIGURE 3: PERCENTAGE OF BUSINESSES OFFERING OR PLANNING TO OFFER BENEFITS Since a majority of area employers have most of their staffs in the Greater Houston market, it s easy for employees to move between companies. That s why it s so important to reduce turnover by offering competitive benefits that help both attract and retain good talent. As shown in Figure 3, there is a wide gap between the employers that offer typical benefits, like workers compensation, health insurance and return-to-work programs, and those that bring something special to their employees to aid in retention. Fewer than three in 10 Houston employers distinguish their benefits package by offering executive wellness, health assessments, biometric screenings, accountable care or online health services. Businesses with employees showed a higher propensity to offer additional benefits than businesses of other sizes, consistently exceeding the benchmarks found in Figure 3. HOW ARE BENEFITS FUNDED? Houston businesses are working to comply with ACA s ever-changing deadlines and requirements to offer healthcare benefits, with an overwhelming 98% either using traditional insurance products or self-insuring their employees, as shown in Figure 4. A disproportionally high percentage of Houston businesses (80%) are fully insured, while only 18% of businesses are self-funding their insurance plans, no doubt utilizing stop-loss insurance in place of claims exceeding established cost tolerances. It s clear that Houston businesses are looking to find creative ways to ensure their employees have the coverage they need at a cost they can afford. 18% Self-Funded/ Insured 2% No Medical Products 80% Fully Insured FIGURE 4: HOUSTON SOURCES OF MEDICAL FUNDING

5 HOW SATISFIED ARE HOUSTON BUSINESSES? With the ever-changing regulatory environment and skyrocketing costs coupled with the pressure to attract and retain top talent in a highly competitive job market, you have to stop and wonder, is any Houston employer actually happy with its current health insurance plan? According to the survey respondents, 48% of Houston businesses are not Very Satisfied with their current carrier, as shown in Figure 5. 52% 7% Every Year 26% Every 2 Years 30% Every 3+ Years 37% Every 4+ Years 34% FIGURE 6: FREQUENCY OF CARRIER CHANGE Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied 9.3% Neutral 2.3% 2.3% Somewhat Dissatisfied FIGURE 5: CURRENT CARRIER SATISFACTION LEVELS Extremely Dissatisfied With nearly half of surveyed employers not Very Satisfied with their current carrier, the question becomes how often are they switching? Despite the presence of varying levels of dissatisfaction, it s not surprising that the tendency of most Houston businesses, as shown in Figure 6, is to remain with their current carrier for a number of years. If businesses are unhappy with their current carrier, but aren t changing carriers, the question becomes why aren t they? The answer may lie in a lack of options. Similar carriers offering the same kinds of plans, all with predictable rises in costs, may have some employers simply throwing their hands in the air in frustration. Because local alternatives do exist, Houston businesses were asked if they d consider switching to a healthcare offering local to the Greater Houston area that had a narrow network. Over half (55%) expressed interest when this was matched with a significant reduction in cost.

6 SO WHAT S A HOUSTON BUSINESS TO DO? It s evident that Houston businesses are working hard to find the best healthcare products they can for their employees. Some try new carriers, some try self-funding, some offer additional benefits, and some just stay with whatever they have today. But it s equally plain to see that Greater Houston businesses are still not satisfied and are looking for something better that gets them to the healthcare nirvana of lowered costs and high-quality health care. Given the majority of employees who live and work in Greater Houston, the option of using a local solution that can provide your employees with the coverage they need, the quality of service they expect, the doctors they know all at the cost they want appears to be a viable option for a majority of Houston businesses. If you re like most businesses in the Greater Houston area, it might just be time to look at a local option that offers high-quality care at a lower cost. ABOUT MEMORIAL HERMANN HEALTH SYSTEM Memorial Hermann has been serving the people of Southeast Texas for more than 100 years, providing world-class clinical expertise, patient-centered care and leading-edge technology. Today we re focused on advancing the health of those we serve by bringing together all aspects of health care into one, integrated system. Advancing Health is more than a tagline, it s a promise to our patients and the clients we serve. We can deliver quality health care like no other organization in Greater Houston because we re local with 12 hospitals, over 5,500 affiliated physicians, 21,000 employees, over 18 specialty centers and nearly 100 urgent and convenient care in-network facilities. So we re not only in your community, we re a part of it. In collaboration with our affiliated, clinically integrated physicians, we have built a system of care that ensures timely, accurate, safe and effective treatments. These efforts have resulted in national, regional and state recognition, making us the clear leader in Greater Houston in quality and patient safety. Our designation as an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) means we re serious about driving healthcare costs down, while still delivering the same high-quality, coordinated care to our customers. MORE THAN JUST HEALTH CARE At Memorial Hermann we re not just about providing health care; we re also about making sure you have access to it. About Memorial Hermann Health Insurance Company Memorial Hermann Health Insurance Company provides access to a suite of group health insurance plans for organizations with two or more employees. We offer a broad range of health benefits that fit the needs and budgets of your employees, including return-to-work, health and wellness, and occupational medicine programs. We also offer plans for those companies wishing to self-fund their benefits, with the same quality access to the Memorial Hermann Health System. A WINNING COMBINATION By providing the highest quality health care with the accountability needed to minimize costs, Memorial Hermann is advancing the health of those we serve. We achieve this through superior medical management and the integration of hospitals, physicians and health plans. And the results are improved patient outcomes and reduced costs for consumers and clients. All from an organization with deep roots in Houston. Learn how our health insurance, hospitals and affiliated physicians are all working together for you at HEALTHPLAN.MEMORIALHERMANN.ORG Copyright 2014 Memorial Hermann. All rights reserved.