Since the pandemic, labor shortages in the U.S. remain. However, companies are hiring new employees at a rate that outpaces the quit rate. This dynamic, referred to as the “great reshuffle” indicates that people and across the nation are searching for and landing better jobs with different employers and in new industries. This is especially true of certain sectors in New York City. There, for example, technology job growth is outpaced only by that of Silicon Valley.
As a result, employers are evaluating their health care benefit strategies to improve their talent attraction and retention abilities. Because even though salary budget increases should be on the rise in 2025, a paycheck isn’t necessarily enough for prospective employees anymore. Quality health care benefits are at the top of workers’ priority lists, with research revealing that eight in 10 Americans deem health insurance the most important benefit a job can offer.
Fortunately, Aetna®, a CVS Health® Company, is helping New York companies meet the needs of their current staff and talent pools. Many of our customers choose to implement flexible health plans with quality coverage that’s easy to use and tailored to their specific industry. This approach gives businesses a competitive edge in attracting and maintaining a healthy, productive workforce.
The limitations of one-size-fits-all health care
Most employees, regardless of industry, appreciate having access to affordable and convenient health care benefits catering to their and their families’ needs. Along these same lines, most employers want high-touch collaboration with their health insurer that goes beyond plan design.
While that might be the case no matter the company, a closer examination of priorities and usage patterns shows that specific challenges can differ significantly across industries, meaning one-size-fits-all health plans aren’t the best approach.
Take a technology firm, for example. This larger industry category has expanded to include health tech, fintech, biotech and more—workplaces in the sector are fast-paced and employ diverse teams that demand robust and progressive benefits. Employees are open to using digital health care tools, too. They use fertility services more frequently and see 25 percent higher usage rates for behavioral health care.[1] So, Aetna built a best-in-class provider network that helps members get this type of care in person and virtually.
We recognize that a larger-than-average percentage of employees in this field may need to seek services for non-traditional conception assistance or advanced reproductive solutions. In response, we added designated Fertility Advocate nurses to our technology-geared plan designs. These individuals guide members through their entire care journey, from reviewing benefits to liaising with providers, conducting recommended screenings and assessments, and even reviewing pharmacy benefits—all the way to postpartum support. And for members’ overall fertility and maternity needs, Aetna has a variety of specialized partnerships that deliver best-in-class support.
Our benchmarking data also revealed that most employers in the tech space cover gender affirmation services beyond just advice, which stands out from other non-technology businesses. So, we enhanced our technology industry solution plans to include gender affirmation benefits and access to health professionals who are board certified to provide transgender health care. This means extra support for our members navigating the complex health care system.
This testimonial comes from an Aetna customer, a New York-based technology company that employs about 750 people, and speaks to some of these distinct needs.
“Many of our employees are part of the LGBTQ+ community or know or love someone who is. They’re often left with unanswered questions and are unsure how to find trust within the health care system. We’ve heard from our staff that they are appreciative of our Aetna case manager, as well as our Aetna gender-affirming care navigators. Both types of support help guide our employees with a lens that no other carrier is able to provide. Aetna bridges the gaps that people in this community too often face, which is an invaluable step in the right direction.”
The latest and greatest industry insights from Aetna
We conducted extensive research to gather insight into many of our other customers’ businesses and the unique needs of their staff. Here’s some of what we uncovered about additional key industries.
1. Health care.These employees take care of others all day long and don’t always prioritize their own care, resulting in elevated risks for obesity, musculoskeletal issues and diabetes, as well as 25 percent higher levels of anxiety and depression.[2,3]
2. Hospitality and retail. Service-industry workers usually have physically demanding jobs that take up nights and weekends, meaning they can’t always stay on top of their regular health care needs. In fact, their utilization of adult preventive screenings is seven percent lower and inpatient admission rates are seven percent higher.[4] These individuals also benefit from varied language solutions and 24/7 support from Aetna, from customer service to CVS Health Virtual Care.
3. Private equity. This industry is especially focused on performance and cost management across their portfolio, and looking for a health plan partner that can help drive strong health care trend management. Aetna helped our private equity customers save an average of 3.7 percent annually on medical costs over the last seven years.[5]
Leading the way with high-touch, flexible support
Beyond plan design, we recognize that workforce needs and priorities vary widely. So we provide our account, clinical, care management, and customer service teams with extensive, specialized training in the sectors they support. This means they have the knowledge necessary to deliver top-tier service tailored to each client. On top of this, Aetna local sales and service teams have a pulse on New York’s health care happenings—so all our customers in the state have relevant, nuanced support.
No matter what type of health plan your business needs, Aetna can offer you and your workforce access to a wealth of resources and solutions. Whether you’re introducing new benefits or rolling out incentives for primary care, our dedicated concierge customer service team can act as an extension of your HR staff to support your employees.
Then, as chronic or episodic care needs arise, Aetna care managers serve as single points of contact so that employees get the help they need along their care journey. And for claim and eligibility questions, our plan sponsor liaisons can help you isolate trends and opportunities to optimize health plan performance.
Supporting New York companies now and for what’s next
As Aetna collaborates closely with businesses and brokers in New York and nationwide, we continue to learn more about the unique challenges different industries face.
These insights inspire us to innovate on our health plan design and create flexible and user-friendly solutions tailored to the needs and desires of our customers. In addition to promoting better employee health outcomes, our industry-specific benefits help employers stand out when recruiting and retaining staff. Everything we do is shaped by our customers’ goals—because healthier happens together®.
To take your health plan to the next level, contact your Aetna® representative or visit Aetna.com.
