Health Care
The March to Modernize Health Care Offerings
Amid seemingly never-ending recruiting crises impacting all corners of the U.S. economy-from factories to finance giants, from shortages of teachers to IT professionals, from difficulty recruiting both emerging professionals and seasoned leaders-health care benefits continue to be the most important benefits employers feel they can offer. With surging medical prices, organizations’ prioritization of comprehensive health care plans for their employees will most likely carry on into the future.
With health insurance being a nearly guaranteed benefits offering from the vast majority of organizations, employers realize the need to differentiate themselves amid a competitive job market, branching into inventive forms of health benefits. Health savings accounts (HSAs) remain historically high, while items such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), mental health coverage, and telemedicine continue to have a very high prevalence. Over the past year, employers have begun to converse more about bodily autonomy and other personal benefits such as counseling and education for those experiencing menopause as well as those requesting gender-affirming hormone therapy – each being benefits offerings newly-added to the survey this year.
Continue below to explore health care and wellness benefits and what organizations like yours are offering in 2024.
How Do Your Benefits Stack Up?
Use the tool below to explore benefit categories by industry, organization size or location
Significantly Down
Down
No Change
Up
Significantly Up
Health Plans Are Here to Stay
27%
Of organizations offer a self-insured health plan.
Meaning the organization operates its own health plans and typically pays medical claims through a third party.
70%
Of organizations offer a fully insured health plan.
Meaning the organization pays a fixed premium amount to an insurer, which then pays the medical claims.
Health Savings/Spending Accounts
Medical Flexible Spending Account
(FSA)
FSA Run-Out
32%
FSA Carry-Over
33%
FSA Grace Period
23%
Health Savings Account
(HSA)
Organizations that contribute to plan
62%
Average individual-only annual contribution
$1,033
Average family annual contribution
$1,633
Health Reimbursement Arrangement
(HRA)
Average individual-only annual contribution
$2,154
Average family annual contribution
$3,604
Short-Term Disability (STD)
67% of organizations offer short-term disability insurance beyond any state-required programs.
The percentage of organizations offering short-term disability insurance remains unchanged since 2023, while supplemental short-term disability insurance decreased by 2 percentage points. As more state governments hold hearings on expanding disability insurance legislation, this may impact the percentage of organizations offering STD insurance in the next several years.
Long-Term Disability (LTD)
71% of organizations offer long-term disability insurance.
The prevalence of long-term disability insurance increased 1 percentage point since 2023, while supplemental long-term disability decreased slightly by 1 percentage point. This shows that employers have generally retained their long-term disability insurance options, providing a way for their employees to maintain a certain level of income even while unable to work due to longer-duration health issues.
Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)
79% of organizations offer AD&D insurance.
Accidental death and dismemberment insurance has remained unchanged for the fourth year in a row, while supplemental AD&D insurance increased 1 percentage point since 2023 to 61%. This is the highest it has been in the past three years, but still lower than during the height of the pandemic.
Additional Health Coverage
Additional health coverage benefits continue to be some of the most common benefits among all employers surveyed. This year, dental and vison insurance both increased to historic highs, while prescription drug coverage bundled with medical insurance decreased slightly.
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Prescription Drug Coverage
Mental Wellness
Mental Health Coverage
90%
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
82%
General Wellness Program
42%
Meditation/Mindfulness/Contemplative Program
17%
Online Stress Management Program
18%
Menopause Benefits
(e.g., counseling, education)
17%
With 9 in 10 employers now offering some form of mental health coverage, it’s evident that organizations are recognizing the impact and importance of offering comprehensive mental well-being benefits. Among these wellness perks is a new addition to the Employee Benefits Survey: menopause benefits. A unique benefit that has picked up steam within the past two years since tech giants began adopting the benefit into their suite of offerings, menopause benefits help to bridge the gap between employers and potentially unseen life changes that can impact an employee’s well-being.
Bodily Autonomy Benefits
Gender-Affirming
Hormone Therapy
Gender-Affirming
Surgery Coverage
Egg Freezing for
Non-Medical Reasons
In Vitro Fertilization
Coverage
Infertility Treatment
Coverage (Other than
In Vitro Fertilization)
Contraceptive
Coverage