Moving forward, 94 percent of employers are committed to offering and financially supporting some type of health benefit coverage for their employees, according to a recent survey by Aon Hewitt, a human capital consulting firm in Chicago.

Specifically, 72 percent of respondents say they are very or somewhat interested in exploring if a corporate exchange model as an effective long-term solution to oversee the costs of an employee health plan, and 44 percent of respondents expect to provide health benefits through a corporate exchange in the next three to five years, which is a large jump from the current 4 percent. Among the most important features are attracting respondents to consider a corporate exchange are reducing costs at 86 percent, improving access to better quality plans at 45 percent, enhancing health and wellness programs at 43 percent and increasing health care choices at 43 percent. 

"Large employers will continue to provide valuable health care benefits to their employees," says Ken Sperling, national health exchange strategy leader with Aon Hewitt. "The emergence of corporate exchanges allows employers and employees to benefit from the competitive dynamic that exchanges create and the promise this competition can have in lowering costs."