Businesses across the country are faced with the unfortunate task of passing on increased health care costs to employees or cutting back on other business expenses. But even with employers choosing to pass on these costs to employees, the effects on the business are also evident.

In the past 12 months, 38% of our survey respondents skipped or postponed necessary health care or medications because of the cost. What’s worse, this number has increased by 11% in the past two years. This can lead to employees missing more time at work to play catch up on a condition that could have been better managed earlier on, or in the form of higher health care costs to cover the care required for developed complications.

Additionally, a robust and affordable health plan directly impacts high-quality workforce retention and recruitment. Our survey found that 67% of respondents said health plan benefits play a big role in searching for or staying at a job. More than a quarter said they would take a pay cut at a different job if it offered better health benefits.

Even if employers choose to pass the costs down to their employees, it becomes a matter of how and not if the company will inevitably be impacted.

Employers can be part of the solution

More than a quarter of respondents said it was difficult for them and their families to cover health care costs. As the ones footing the bill, it’s up to employers to do their part in alleviating this difficulty by talking with benefits advisors about alternative health plans that are viable for both the company and its most important asset — the employees.

Employers bear the responsibility of offering health plans that keep costs under control without sacrificing value, like those that utilize reference-based pricing (RBP). RBP uses standard rates, including Medicare, as a baseline to make fair and transparent health care payments and is proven to save nearly 20% on overall health care costs. Despite many innovations, there is still a significant lack of price transparency in more traditional health plans and employers don’t have the full understanding of what they and their employees are paying for.

Moreover, the issue of fair and transparent pricing goes beyond just employers and extends into the general perception of health care. Nearly 70% of our survey respondents said that the cost of health care was unfair, and nearly 60% said the costs of health visits should be more transparent.

These “unfair” costs of health care usually come along with the convenience of more traditional health plans. But I’m confident if an employer asked their employees whether they would drive 10-15 minutes further away if it meant saving hundreds of dollars on health care, a significant percentage would be in favor. In fact, 60% of people in our survey said they would drive further to a clinic or hospital if it meant a lower bill.

While a health plan using RBP may require members to spend a little more time on their drive to the doctor or to call ahead of their appointment, it is part of a solution to the many concerns Americans highlighted in our survey: costs, transparency and fairness.

As is, employers are leaving employees to foot the bill for health care expenses without understanding what they are paying for. And despite employers’ best efforts — including more than doubling employee health care contributions over the past 20 years — health care still isn’t affordable for many Americans.

It’s time that employers recognize their role in the crisis of health care affordability. But the question remains: will they stand idly by hoping for the problem to diminish on its own or will they be the solution to the problem?

Jeff Bak is president and CEO of Imagine360.