MercerMarsh Benefits Globalinsurersurveyreport MMBHealth Trends2023 Navigatingcosttrendsandusinginnovationinemployer-providedhealthcare benefitsthattrulybenefit Globalinsurersurveyreport.MMBhealthtrends2023:Navigatingcosttrendsandusinginnovationinemployer-providedhealthcare AlthoughCOViD-19continuestoToptrendsdriving employer-provided influenceemployer-providedhealthhealthbenefits plans,bothdirectlyandindirectly, Per-personmedicalcost medicaltrendacrosstheglobehasincreasesarebackto pre-pandemiclevels. largelystabilizedtoapproximate pre-pandemicrates.Meanwhile,COVID-19continues toimpactclaims marketinnovationcontinuesexperience. Planmodernization3 tooffernewopportunitiesfor employerstoconsiderasbenefitshasbegun. plansaremodernized Mentalhealth MercerMarshBenefits(MMB)surveyed226insurersacross56countries'toexploregapspersist. thekeytrendsshapingemployer-providedhealthbenefitstoproduceourHealth Trends2023report. 5 Thesetrendswillbeinvaluableforemployersdesigninghealthcareplanstomeet theneedsoftheirbusinessesandemployees.Insurers'practices,policylanguagePlanmanagement flexibility.willingnesstoinnovateandaccesstolargepoolsofclaimsdatagivethemarequiresgreaterrigor. keyroleinshapingthefutureofemployeebenefits. FieldedinAugust2022. 3 Globalinsurersurveyreport.MMBhealth:trends2o23:Navigatingcost:trendsandusinginnovationinemployer-providedhealthcare Fivekeytrendsdrivingthefutureofemployer-providedhealthcare ThefindingsofMMB'sHealthTrends2o23surveyshowfivekeytrendsinfluencingemployer-providedhealthcareforthefuture. 区 Per-personmedical CoVID-19continues Planmodernization Mentalhealth Planmanagement costincreases toimpactclaims hasbegun. gapspersist. requiresgreater arebacktopre- pandemiclevels. experience. rigor. Plansponsorsmustfactor Insurerssaypeopleare Digitalhealthsupportis Despiteprogress,plans Benefitsmanagersmust forecastedcostincreases experiencingtheeffectsof rapidlyevolving,butthere continuetoexcludemental developmorerobust intobudgetsand disruptedcarealongside hasbeenlimitedprogress healthcareorprovide strategiesandprepare determinehowtobalanceempathywitheconomics. ongoingCOVIDclaims. onhealthsustainability. onlyminimalcoverage Employersarelefttofill formorecomplexunderwritingandplan thegapinotherways. designdecisions. 68% 55% 1in2 16% Morethan1in5 Trend Whatit means Key finding ofinsurersexpectplanofinsurersreportaninsurershaschangedofinsurersreportnotinsurersinAsiaaresponsorstoprioritizeincreaseinlater-stageorexpectstochangeprovidingplansthatcoveradjustingmedicalplanimprovementsdespitediagnosisofillnessdueeligibilityrequirementsmentalhealthservicespremiumsbasedonforecasteddouble-digittodeferredcare.andeligibleexpenses(versus26%in.2022).COVID-19vaccinationmedicaltrendratesintomakecoveragemorestatus. somemarkets,inclusiveforthosewho identifyasLGBTQ+ Globalinsurersurveyreport.MMB.healthtrends2023:Navigatingcosttrendsandusinginnovationinemployer-providedhealthcare Section1 Per-personmedicalcostincreasesarebacktopre-pandemiclevels Globalinsurersurveyreport.MMBhealth:trends2023:Navigatingcosttrendsandusinginnovationinemployer-providedhealthcare Defining'medicaltrendMedicaltrendrates,2019-2023 Medicaltrendistheyear-over-yearcostincreaseforclaimsunderamedicalplanonaAlthoughtheimpactofCOVID-19onclaimspatternsvariesaroundtheworld,in2021, per-personbasis,assumingnochangestothebenefitsprovided.Thisrategrowthisinsurersgenerallysawmedicaltrendratesreturntopre-pandemic(2019)levels.This theresultofavarietyoffactors,including:followedadropin2020thatresultedfromlowerusageofmedicalservicesbecauseof theCOVID-19pandemic.Thereisextensivegeographicalvariation,withsomeregions Medicalinflation(increaseinper-unitcostsforthesameservice/supply) (forexample,Europe,Canada,Pacific)slightlyexceedingpre-pandemiclevelsand Alteredtreatmentmix(forexample,movingtomoreexpensivetreatments)others(forexample,Asia,theMiddleEastandAfrica[MEA),LatinAmericaandthe Utilizationpatterns(forexample,peoplenotaccessingservicesdueto Caribbean[LAC]cominginjustbelow. COVID-19-relatedrestrictions) WiththeexceptionoftheLACregion,insurersacrossregionsalsoexpectmedicaltrend Regulatorychangesratestoexceed2019levelsin2022and2023,drivenbyfactorssuchasincreasedcost morecostlytreatment).In2023,therateofgrowthisgenerallyexpectedtoremainsteadyat2022levels. Figure1:2019-2023medicaltrend 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Global 9.7% 5.7% 10.1% 12.7% 12.6% Canada 6.9% 3.9% 7.1% 7.0% 7.0% Asia 10.2% 3.5% 8.9% 10.7% 11.5% Pacific 4.6% 5.2% 5.0% 5.6% 5.8% Europe 8.0% 3.5% 10.9% 13.9% 13.8% MiddleEastandAfrica 11.1% 9.6% 10.2% 15.0% 13.8% LatinAmericaandCaribbean 13.4% 8.0% 11.1% 10.7% 11.3% Ratesfor2019,2020and2021areretrospective.Ratesfor2022and2023areprospective.Unweightedglobalaveragesused.SeeAppendixAforalistofestimatedmedicaltrendratesbymarketanddatasources Globalinsurersurveyreport.MMBhealth:trends2o23:Navigatingcosttrendsandusinginnovationin-employer-providedhealthcare GlobalmedicaltrendFigure2:Medicaltrendratesversusgeneralinflation? versusgeneralinflation14.0% Soarin