As we enjoy a summer break and celebrate the birthday of this great country, I step back and reflect on the wins and losses from the busy July 1 season. For those employers that saw double digit increases in their benefit spend, and declined the opportunity to change it, I feel sad. I wish I could have better conveyed what we, and so many new customers, discovered as we all regained control of our health benefit spend. Employers like Roundstone now experience cost increases at, or below, inflation.

What were these employers thinking when they chose the status quo?

• – Did the fear of “maximum costs greater than a bundled fixed cost” run the decision?
• – Did they know they had less than a 20% chance of experiencing a max cost event?
• – Was it unclear that they were 5x more likely to experience cost savings below expected cost?
• – Did they receive a clear explanation of what transparency and control can deliver when confronting rising health benefit costs?

Even with a difficult claim year, data insight and loss information open the door to cost containment solutions that can remediate the runaway expenses. How well was this explained to the employer? Could their advisor’s motive have been misaligned with the company’s business objectives? Did the employer challenge their advisor?

Our people care

Every day at Roundstone, our team works to better understand what drives an employer’s benefit funding choice. Yes, growing our business is important, but the real motivator stems from a committed belief that the self-funded captive solution can help avoid one of an employer’s top three business expenses from doubling every four to five years. For those who have taken control with transparency and cost savings, congratulations on keeping those dollars in your pockets. For the employers and advisors who think there is no better way available, or who remain paralyzed by the inevitable paradigm shift, please spend some time with Roundstone’s solution and let’s discuss your options.

Why shouldn’t all of us experience a health benefit renewal below inflation? Our fireworks display could be bigger and longer and celebrate both America and our new bottom line.

Mike