The Prevention Perspective
Research and insights to help benefits leaders build workforces that stay well
The broken promise of “free” preventive care – what your employees are actually paying
Employers think preventive care is covered at 100% by their health plan. For up to 61% of enrollees, that’s not true—and the resulting surprise bills are eroding trust, discouraging engagement, and quietly undermining the entire preventive strategy.
The Executive Take: Greg Mansur, CEO
Your benefits handbook probably says preventive care is covered at 100%. It’s the law of the land, right? Research has found that 21–61% of employees experience cost sharing for services that are supposed to be covered at 100%—flu vaccines, mammograms, colonoscopies, even their annual wellness visit.
The worst part: The patients most likely to get billed are the ones with existing conditions or family history. In other words, those who need preventive care the most are getting penalized for showing up.
The broken promise of “free” preventive care – what your employees are actually paying
Employers think preventive care is covered at 100% by their health plan. For up to 61% of enrollees, that’s not true—and the resulting surprise bills are eroding trust, discouraging engagement, and quietly undermining the entire preventive strategy.
The measurement playbook: what to track when evaluating your preventive care investment
The biggest obstacle to proving preventive care’s value isn’t the data—it’s the methodology. Without credible study design, proper cohort definitions, and appropriate risk adjustment, your numbers won’t survive scrutiny.
The adult prevention gap: why 70% of workers skip the care that saves the most money
Preventive care utilization collapses the moment adulthood begins—dropping from 86% in childhood to as low as 18% for young adult men. For employers, this means the majority of their workforce is skipping the single most cost-effective intervention in the healthcare system. Making care “free” hasn’t fixed it. Understanding why is the first step toward a different approach.
Get EHE’s expert insights in your inbox
Sign up for the Prevention Perspective newsletter and get our exclusive research and reports, plus early access to roundtable discussions, industry studies, and EHE Health news.
Benefit abrasion is quietly undermining your preventive care strategy
The claims payment infrastructure of modern health plans has created a hidden economic penalty for the employees with the highest clinical risk—the exact people your preventive care investment is designed to help. Understanding the mechanics of “benefit abrasion” reveals why traditional plan designs can’t fully deliver on the promise of free prevention.
The prevention gap is bigger than you think – and it could be costing your company millions
If you manage health benefits for a large employer, you already know the broad strokes: healthcare...
Why 70% of your employees skip a free benefit – and how to fix it
70% of working-age adults with insurance aren’t using their annual preventive benefits—despite being covered at 100%. The barriers aren’t awareness. They’re access, fragmentation, and benefit inconsistencies that surprise employees with unexpected costs.
Get ahead of your workforce health risks
Give your employees and your business the strategic advantage of engaged prevention. Meet with an EHE benefits advisor to get a custom ROI analysis.