Mid-to-large sized businesses are continually, but cautiously,exploring ways to manage their employee health costs withoutlosing sight of the value those benefits represent internally andexternally.

A survey from the Midwest Business Group on Health offers thelatest evidence of this trend.

The organization polled 119 members, asking them to identifyareas of greatest concern with respect to their benefitsstrategies. Those at the top:

• 81 percent are seeking better ways to increase employeeengagement in their health improvement (wellness) programs;

• 77 percent want to encourage more employees to use preventivehealth services;

• 76 percent are looking for ways to avoid the 2018 AffordableCare Act excise tax, or Cadillac tax. But only 18percent said they will trigger the Cadillac tax in 2018.

• 61 percent said managing specialty drug costs was apriority.

The main strategies for managing costs in advent of the Cadillactax remain unchanged from other surveys: “increasing theavailability of wellness programs, offering high deductible plans,adding or expanding incentives for employee wellness programs, andincreasing employee cost share. Employers indicated they also planto optimize networks for best providers and reduce benefits.”