Healthcare | Cost over experience: How US employers are rethinking workforce benefits

US employers are rewriting the rules of benefits strategy, with cost control now the defining priority shaping decision making says new research.

The data from insurance specialist Lockton, shows a decisive shift away from talent-led thinking toward a more hard-edged approach focused on managing healthcare spend.

It reveals an increased openness to unconventional solutions, with some 46% of self-funded plan sponsors say they would consider international drug sourcing for pharmacy benefits, showing just how far organizations are willing to go to rein in rising costs.

It’s a more complex approach and carries potential legal and compliance risks, but the lack of clear regulatory enforcement appears to be lowering the barrier to consideration.