Employers invest significantly in health benefits to support their workforce. Today, they’re navigating rising costs alongside growing expectations for greater choice, easier access, and a better health care experience.

As president of commercial markets at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, a Point32Health company, Jake Biscoglio works closely with employers, brokers, and consultants to understand those challenges and connect organizations with solutions tailored to the needs of their businesses and employees.

We spoke with Biscoglio about what employers are looking for from health plans today, the value of local partnerships, and what it takes to make health benefits work better for businesses and the people they employ.

Q: What’s top of mind for employers when it comes to health benefits today?

Jake Biscoglio: Affordability continues to be the largest concern for employers. As health care costs rise, they’re looking for ways to maintain strong benefits while balancing affordability for their organizations and employees.

Employers also care deeply about the experience their employees and families have with their benefits and whether they can easily access high-quality care. People want to understand what their plan provides, find the right provider, know what services will cost, and get the information they need without a lot of effort. Health care consumers don’t want health care to be a job. They have other things to focus on, so making that experience easier and simpler matters.

How employers balance these priorities varies based on their business, workforce, and overall people strategy. Some are focused primarily on delivering a strong core health benefit, while others take a broader view of how health care can support employees and their families over the long term through wellness programming, family caregiver support, and similar offerings. 

That’s why having a true partnership with a health plan matters. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care works closely with employers, brokers, and consultants to understand not only the organizations, but also the people in those organizations to connect them with the products, programs, and care solutions that best support their priorities. 

Q: What matters most to employers can vary significantly by industry. How does that understanding shape the solutions you provide?

JB: We work with employers across a wide range of industries, including biotech, technology, health care, higher education, municipalities, construction, and nonprofit organizations, to name a few.  With more than 50 years of experience, we’ve developed a deep understanding of the unique priorities, workforce needs, and challenges facing different sectors.

The needs of a college or university, for example, can be very different from those of a biotech company or a municipality. Because we partner with organizations across these industries, we gain valuable insight into the benefit strategies, care solutions, and innovations that are resonating with similar workforces, as well as the challenges employers are trying to solve.

We bring those insights into our conversations with employers, brokers, and consultants, while recognizing that every organization is unique. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to health care. Each employer has its own goals, workforce demographics, financial considerations, and benefits philosophy. Our role is to listen and help identify the plan designs, care management programs, and health solutions that best align with their objectives. 

Our focus is simple: we want the solutions we provide to reflect what matters most to our customers, not what matters most to us. That’s what it means to be a trusted partner. 

Q: How is the role of the health plan evolving beyond providing traditional coverage?

JB: Employers are increasingly looking for health plans to provide support that goes beyond a standard benefits package. That means making it easier for employees and their families to access care, manage their health, and find the resources they need, while also helping employers get more value from their benefits.

That broader role includes connecting people with care resources that address needs that can affect their health and well-being outside of the doctor’s office. Caregiver support is one example. Many employees are balancing work with caring for an aging parent or other family responsibilities. While those responsibilities may not immediately come to mind as part of someone’s own health care, having support can help ease some of the stress they’re carrying, improve their overall well-being, and contribute to better health over time.

We take a holistic view of what matters most to employers and their workforce, connecting the dots across care, information, advocacy, and support in ways that make a meaningful difference for employees and their families. Health care is about more than benefits and coverage, and health plans have an opportunity to support people more broadly throughout their health journey.

Q: What role can health plans play in addressing health care affordability for employers and their employees?

JB: I’m proud of the value Harvard Pilgrim Health Care is delivering for employers and members. Today, we offer some of the most competitive commercial rates in the market. We’re focused on continuing to make health care more affordable while providing the quality, access, and experience they expect.

Employers are making a significant investment in the health of their workforce, and they should have a clear understanding of the return they’re getting from that investment. To help with that, we provide employers with insights to better understand what’s driving their health care costs, how their benefits are being used, and where opportunities may exist to improve affordability and outcomes. Those insights can inform decisions around plan design, care management, virtual care, and whether existing programs are delivering the value they were intended to provide.

At the same time, affordability isn’t something employers can address alone. Health plans have an important responsibility to manage the costs we can influence. At Harvard Pilgrim Health Care that means strengthening provider partnerships, investing in technology and innovation, finding efficiencies in how we operate, and working across the health care system to address the total cost of care. 

Q: What does a strong partnership between an employer and a health plan look like in practice?

JB: The partnership starts well before coverage even begins. We want to make the transition as seamless as possible for employers and their employees, which means taking as much work off the employer’s plate as we can.

For many employers, that begins before the effective date of coverage through programs like SmartStart. If an employee has questions about prescription drug coverage, provider access, or how to navigate their benefits, they can get answers before their plan takes effect rather than waiting until day one. That helps employees feel more confident and informed while reducing the burden on HR and benefits teams.

Brokers and consultants are also critical partners in that relationship. They have a unique perspective on the challenges employers are facing and the solutions they’re looking for, so we actively seek their feedback and input on a regular basis. We don’t wait for issues to arise. We believe the best partnerships are built on continuous conversations and strong collaboration. 

Those insights, combined with what we hear directly from employers and members, help shape both the immediate improvements we make and our longer-term product, service, and care strategies. 

Ultimately, we want employers to know that we’re always accessible, responsive, and fully invested in their success. 

Q: Why does being local matter when it comes to health care and health benefits?

JB: Health care is inherently local, and being deeply rooted in the communities we serve gives us a perspective that is difficult to replicate. As an independent, nonprofit health plan without shareholders to answer to, our decisions are made right here in New England, allowing us to remain focused on what matters: our members, employers, providers, and communities.

That local perspective makes a real difference. We’ve been serving regional communities for decades and have built strong, trusted relationships with providers, health systems, employers, and community organizations throughout the region. Because we’re invested in the same communities, we share a common interest in improving health outcomes, enhancing the care experience, and making health care more affordable. 

Our local presence also shapes the experience we provide. When members reach out, they’re connecting with people who understand their communities and can help with everything from coverage questions to accessing care. Our goal is to make the experience as simple and seamless as possible.

At the end of the day, health care is personal. Being local allows us to respond with greater empathy and understanding. It’s one of the reasons employers and members place their trust in us, and why we believe as a local, nonprofit health plan we are uniquely positioned to deliver a more personalized and connected health care experience.

Q: What will it take for health plans to continue meeting the evolving needs of employers and their workforces?

JB: It starts with understanding your customers and evolving and growing alongside them. Affordability will always remain a top priority for us, but employers are also looking for easy access to high-quality care, meaningful choice, a simpler and more intuitive experience, and a health plan that really understands their business, workforce, and goals.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care brings all those elements together while serving as a true strategic partner. That means listening closely to employers, leveraging data and insights to anticipate their needs, and making it easier for employees and their families to access the care, resources, and support they need to stay healthy.

That’s what excites me about where we’re at today. We have a long-standing reputation for quality, service, and putting our customers first. As employers’ needs continue to evolve, we see a tremendous opportunity to build on that foundation, helping employers manage costs, support the health and well-being of their workforce, and navigate an increasingly complex health care environment with confidence.

To continue the conversation with Jake’s team and learn more about Harvard Pilgrim Health Care’s employer solutions, reach out here.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, a Point32Health company, provides nationally ranked health plans and care-based programs and services to nearly 900,000 members in New England and beyond. Founded by doctors more than 50 years ago, it builds on that legacy and partnerships through an expansive network of doctors and hospitals nationwide to improve health outcomes and lower costs through clinical quality and innovative care management. A leading, nonprofit health and well-being company, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care guides members — and the communities it serves — to better health each day.