The latest Mercer Marsh Benefits Health Trends global survey of 226 insurers — including 93 in Asia — identified five key themes driving costs and risks in employee health benefits.
Understanding these trends will be crucial for employers – helping them to design healthcare plans that meet the needs of a business and its employees.
The 2023 medical trend rates in Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and The Philippines are expected to be higher than the Asia average of 11.5%. Taiwan’s medical trend rate is forecast at 15.8% — the highest in the region.
73% of insurers in Asia expect plan sponsors to make plan improvements to help address employee retention, engagement and attraction, compared to 68% globally.
In Asia, only 19% of companies have automatically adjusted deductibles/excesses and/or co-payments in line with inflation for group insurance, compared to the global average of 24%. 6% of companies plan to make adjustments in the next six months.