Employers boost worker satisfaction by improving health care literacy

CARMEL, Ind., June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Optavise released its 2025 Healthcare Literacy Report. The report highlights the growing impact of person-to-person education in improving how employees understand and use their benefits, based on a survey of 2,041 U.S. workers with employer-sponsored health insurance.

While 74% of employees now say they are very or extremely satisfied with their health plans—up from 69% last year—and 75% report understanding how their plans work—up from 68%—many still face challenges navigating their benefits on their own. The data shows meaningful progress but also underscores the ongoing need for personalized education and support to close the remaining gaps.

These gains appear closely tied to how employees are learning about their benefits. More employees are turning to HR teams (40%) and third-party experts (18%) for help—up from 27% and 15%, respectively. However, one-quarter of employees still report relying on self-guided online resources or printed materials to learn about their benefits. Of those who self-educate, just 65% report feeling very or extremely confident in understanding how their health plan works, compared to 82% of those who learn about their plans from HR or third-party experts.

Ease of access is also a contributing factor—87% of employees who are very or extremely satisfied with their benefits say it is easy or very easy to access them. Of the employees who report it is difficult to access their benefits, 58% are not confident in understanding how their health plan works.

"When employees sit down with someone to walk through their benefit options, they gain a deeper understanding of how their plans work, leading to higher satisfaction and understanding of their benefits, leading to better participation, smarter healthcare decisions, and lower costs," said Joshua Madson, Head of Worksite Strategy at Optavise. "At its core, health is human—and that's why human connection in benefits education matters more than ever."

Rising cost awareness

As healthcare costs continue to rise and macro trends fluctuate, employees remain highly cost-conscious. More than half (55%) say they have avoided going to the doctor due to cost concerns. Among those who do seek care, 44% report always or often comparing the cost of treatments or services (up from 35%) and 45% always or often compare the costs of prescription drugs (up from 34%).

"It's positive to see that employees are increasingly becoming vigilant about comparing costs," added Madson. "This indicates a shift towards proactive financial management in healthcare choices. Employers can address these concerns by providing transparent cost information and competitive pricing options, empowering employees to make informed decisions."

Engagement with wellness programs

Employers offering monetary incentives or discounts for participating in wellness-related programs are seeing strong engagement, with 86% of employees participating when programs are available. More than half of employees say that they would be likely to participate in programs relating to healthy eating (64%), fitness tracking (61%), financial wellness (52%) and mental health counseling (51%).

For employers who consider implementing these programs, personalization is critical for employee satisfaction, with 96% of employees saying it's at least moderately important to them that their employer offers benefit options tailored to their specific needs.

Closing the remaining gaps

Despite encouraging trends, the need for continued investments in benefits education programs and offerings are crucial. One in four employees still lacks confidence in understanding how their health plan works. Key terms like "coinsurance" remain confusing, with 17% reporting they don't know what it is and an additional 35% reporting they know what it means, but don't fully understand how it applies to their coverage.

More one-on-one education could help bridge these gaps. While many employers offer personalized guidance through HR or external benefits educators, only half of employees take advantage of these sessions. Those who do, however, rank them as the most helpful resource offered.

Onboarding with education in mind

Benefits education is especially impactful when an employee considers changing jobs. 15% of employees changed jobs in the past year, and 74% said the benefits programs and offerings were a key factor in making that decision.

When asked what resources would help them better understand their benefits, 42% of new employees want one-on-one conversations with outside benefits experts and 36% want one-on-one enrollment support. Presentations and group sessions with benefits experts are also highly valued, with 92% of new employees saying they are very or extremely helpful during onboarding.

"Employees who have the proper training, personalization, incentives, and support are the ones who feel most satisfied with their workplace benefits," added Madson. "These findings can help employers bridge the gaps in your employee benefit offerings to increase engagement and lower costs."

For more information, visit https://www.optavise.com/insights/resources/report/the-2025-consumer-healthcare-literacy-report.