The EBRI/Greenwald Research Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey
found that enrollees were highly satisfied with various aspects of the
open enrollment process. In fact, about 90 percent were satisfied with
the overall process, the time they had to select a plan, the materials
provided, the paperwork, and the person presenting the information
during open enrollment. This Fast Fact examines some of the consumer characteristics of this decision-making process.
Figure 2 Most enrollees do not spend a lot of time on health plan choice: HDHP available information or fully considering their health care needs. This could lead to suboptimal plan choices and enrollees spend more time than traditional plan enrollees. potential dissatisfaction later on. About how much time did you spend making a health insurance decision? 30% Wh ile satisfaction with the process is high, employers should invest in resources that actively aid employees in May 15, 2025, #531 Traditional HDHP understanding their options and making informed decisions. These could include interactive online tools that help 25% 24% em ployees compare plans based on individual needs a 22% nd anticipated health care use. Employers could also 21% 20% provide easy-to-understand summaries highlighting key p 19% lan differences and educational workshops and 20% 17% webinars. 15% 15% Plan Enrollees Highly Satisfied With Open Enrollment; 15% 12% Open enrollment does not have to be the only time employees think about their health benefits. Employers should 10% Spend Very Little Time Picking a Plan 10% consider offering ongoing educational resources throughout the year on topics like understanding their health 6% 6% 5% plan, utilizing benefits effectively, and specific health and wellness programs. 5% 4% The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI)/Greenwald Research Consumer Engagement in Health Care 0% Mo re information about the EBRI/Greenwald Research Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey can be Survey found that enrollees were highly satisfied with various aspects of the open enrollment process. I took no action Less than 5 5-29 minutes 30 minutes to an 1-2 hours 3-4 hours 5+ hours found online. and was minutes hour automatically re- enrolled About 90 percent were satisfied with the overall process, the time they had to select a plan, the materials The 2024 Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey was an online survey of 2,011 Americans ages 21 – provided, the paperwork, and the person presenting the information during open enrollment. Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research, 2024 Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey 64 with private health insurance coverage. It was fielded between October and November 2024. The survey is made possible with funding support from the following organizations: Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, CareFirst, The Cigna Group, HealthEquity, Inspira Financial, Johnson & Johnson, Segal, One-half of enrollees reported using annual employee benefits guides to help them decide on a health plan. Just TIAA, and WEX. over one-half of high-deductible health plan (HDHP) enrollees used the same resource, down from nearly two in three last year. Figure 1 The Employee Benefit Research Institute is a private, nonpartisan, and nonprofit research institute based in Satisfaction with open enrollment is high. Washington, D.C., that focuses on health, savings, retirement, and economic security issues. EBRI does not lobby and does not take policy positions. The work of EBRI is made possible by funding from its members and Figure 3 sponsors, which include a bro How ad r satisfie ang d we of ere y opu u wbl ithic and the follo wpr ingi vate o aspects rg of y anizatio our most re ns. cen Fo t ope r mo n enrore in llment? formation, visit Among those who enrolled through an employer Consumers used various tools and resources to choose their health plan. www.ebri.org. Extremely/Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Not too/Not at all Satisfied Tools/resources used to help make a decision during open enrollment Greenwald Research is a leading independent custom research firm and consulting partner to the health and Among those who enroll through an employer, top 7 shown Overall satisfaction with the process 63% 30% 7% wealth industries that applies creative quantitative and qualitative methods to help companies stay competitive Annual employee benefits guide from employer 50% and navigate industry change. Leveraging deep subject matter expertise and a consultative approach, Greenwald The amount of time you had to make a decision 63% 29% 7% Employee benefits online portal 39% offers comprehensive services to answer strategic business questions. For more information, go to www.greenwaldresearch.com Online research 28% Materials provided by your employer to help make decisions 62% 28% 10% ### Employer-provided educational videos 24% Amount of paperwork required 61% 30% 9% HR/Benefits department consultations 14% Who presented at open enrollment 58% 32% 10% Insurance carrier/provider website 13% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Online tools that calculate different 12% premium/coverage/contribution amounts Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research, 2024 Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research, 2024 Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey HDHP enrollees were more likely to use their employee benefits online portal than traditional plan owners. Plan enrollees spent very little time deciding on their health plan in open enrollment. Most enrollees spent less Based on the EBRI/Greenwald Research survey findings, employers can glean several valuable insights to than two hours deciding on their health plan enrollment, with one-half spending less than one hour and nearly enhance their employees ’ open enrollment experience and resource allocation. While the high satisfaction rates one-third spending less than 30 minutes. This may or may not be related to their level of satisfaction with the open are positive, employers should not equate satisfaction with a deep comprehension of plan options. Employees enrollment process. might be satisfied with the process itself without fully grasping the nuances of their chosen plan. The fact that many employees spend very little time selecting a plan suggests they might not be engaging deeply with the © 2025, Employee Benefit Research Institute, 901 D St. SW, Suite 802, Washington, DC 20024, 202/659-0670 | ebri.org 2 3