Benefit sustainability, affordability challenge employers

Sustainability and affordability are the top challenges facing employers who provide benefits for their workers, a panel said during the 2026 EBRI-SHRM Health Benefits Symposium, sponsored by the Employee Benefit Research Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management.

“We also want our benefits plans to meet the employee need,” said Jesse Goodrich, senior vice president of human resources at Riverside Health. “That’s probably one of the most challenging things because the workforce needs are so diverse, and everyone wants something a little bit different.”

Goodrich added that, “Some of our traditional levers of higher deductibles and narrower networks are cost shifting and not cost saving.”

Balance is another concern for those who provide benefits, said Brian Dickens, chief human resource officer at Higher Education Sector.

“It’s all about balance for employees, affordability and helping employees to navigate their health plan structure,” he said. “Whatever we choose as a benefit should support work/life balance.”

Demand for mental benefits is on the rise

Mental health benefits are gaining in popularity, Dickens said.

“We’re seeing workers 35 and younger having higher claims of mental health issues,” he said. “We’re almost seeing a crisis with the amount of care needed at that level. We need to place more emphasis on mental health than ever before.”

Workers need their employers to help them understand their benefits, said Demi Gilmore, chief human resource officer at Tidal Health.

“It’s about that trust factor,” she said.

Gilmore said her organization is adding more networks to its plan to make plan tiers more affordable.

Tidal Health also is using artificial intelligence to help educate workers about their benefits, although Gilmore acknowledged that access to these tools is limited.

“We have a workforce dealing with keeping new hires and also retaining our more senior workforce,” she said. “We’re embracing tools that will help empower the workforce wherever they are.”

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Susan Rupe is editor in chief, magazine, for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at susan.rupe@innfeedback.com.