7 Primary Ways Companies Plan to Reduce Their Healthcare Costs

1.    Health improvement efforts (wellness/disease management, free preventive care, etc.)

2.    Increased employee financial responsibility (HDHPs, higher copays, reduced subsidies for retiree/dependent coverage, etc.)

3.    Plan design (consumer-directed health plans or utilization management to detect unnecessary care)

4.    Network management (narrower networks, direct hospital/physician contracting, accountable care organizations, etc.)

5.    Defined contribution (provision of predetermined amount of funding for employee use toward health plan purchased)

6.    Reduced benefits/plan value (cuts to covered benefits)

7.    Limit/control hours worked (reduce number of full-time equivalent employees)

Source: Beckers Hospital Review