Indiana Public Sector MEWA Trusts: Apex Advocates for Transparency

Apex Benefits Group proudly advocates for the passing of House Bill 1410. This Bill requires claims data transparency for public sector employers with more than 51 employees that are members of public-entity multiple employer welfare arrangements (MEWAs).

Apex is advocating for transparency, pure and simple.

For over two decades, our mission at Apex has been to dissect the complexities of the insurance and health care industries. We champion employee benefit strategies that lower financial risk for the employer, while building strong cultures that attract and retain top talent.

Transparency has always been, and will always be, a central tenet of our organization. Especially since organizations that have insight into their claims can identify moments of intervention that not only create sustainable savings, but also improve health outcomes for employees and plan members.

The Indiana Department of Insurance recognizes the importance of claims transparency for health outcomes and business competition. Bulletin 174 (IC 27-4-1) “prohibits unfair or deceptive acts that may interfere with the employer’s ability to obtain competitive pricing.” The Bill states that claims data must be made available to organizations with 51 employees or more so they can obtain the best pricing possible for their health benefits.

Public MEWAs are currently exempt from these state regulations. House Bill 1410 simply brings these trusts in line with state transparency standards established in 2009.

Many of our vital public servants serve in school systems and municipalities that are members of a MEWA. While some MEWAs are transparent with data, many are not. We assert that it is unfair for an employer to be cut off from seeing and understanding its own data when it’s the access to that data that drives better fiscal outcomes and optimizes the use of taxpayer dollars.

Far more importantly, having no insight into the opportunity for data-driven programming can negatively impact their plan members’ health and overall well-being.

Apex Benefits Group stands behind all our public servants, including our current clients and partners in MEWA trusts. We believe passing HB 1410 will nurture an Indiana benefits landscape that is more transparent. It will create greater opportunity to improve the financial health of Hoosier public entities and the health outcomes of their employees.

Apex was honored to have President and CEO John F. Gause testify to the above on February 15, 2023 to the Indiana House Insurance Committee. The Bill passed out of the House and, as of today (March 13, 2023), it is being reviewed in the Senate.

You can read the testimony here and see Bill status and recordings of all testimony on the Indiana General Assembly website.