OneBeacon Health Plan Update

As a OneBeacon employee, your health is important to us. That's why we provide you and your family with quality health benefits including preventive resources. Our benefits team is planning OneBeacon's 2011 health program, so the timing seemed appropriate for sharing some preliminary findings, while reminding you of opportunities to ensure good health.

Midyear Update: Health Care Expense

OneBeacon continues to believe that the best way to manage health-care expenses, both our company costs and your personal expenses, is by supporting your ability to achieve wellness and optimal health goals.  Our benefits team is looking ahead to 2011 and the initial analyses indicate that expenses are once again on the rise, a trend that shows no sign of slowing down in the foreseeable future.  The aggregate company health data suggests that most of this high expense is due to the increasing frequency of large claims. These claims are not only expensive for all concerned but of course traumatic for the individuals and families involved.

Part of our awareness of these expenses is the fact that OneBeacon's health plans are self-insured.  This means that OneBeacon pays all claims directly, with Aetna's support as the claims administrator, so all financial exposure lies with OneBeacon.  To control your costs as well as the company's, we will consider a broad variety of plan changes.  Current considerations include incentive and "disincentive" wellness programs and designs to further encourage you to engage in improving overall health.  In the meantime, here are some reminders to consider.