A growing number of employers — of all sizes and from a cross-section of industries — are moving to private benefits exchanges to reduce benefits costs, simplify administration, and empower employees to “own” their benefits.

Mercer Marketplace^SM is a private benefits exchange that offers a one-stop, online shopping environment that allows an employer’s entire workforce — including active employees, retirees, and employees not enrolled in a sponsored plan — to make benefits choices with ease and confidence.  

Mercer Marketplace^SM stands out among private exchanges for being designed around the needs of both employers seeking cost-effective, streamlined solutions and for employees looking to select their benefits with ease and confidence.

This focus in solving for the employer and employee equations to create a comprehensive, flexible, and rewarding experience has quickly established Marketplace as a leading private exchange for employers of all sizes and industries.

• One click, right fit: In Mercer Marketplace, consumers can quickly “zero in” on their benefit options and select plans that meet their individual financial needs and lifestyles.
  
  
• Live support: Mercer Marketplace’s benefits counselors are available to guide individuals who need help understanding their options and the various factors that may affect their choices. The counselors will take as much time as necessary to ensure that participants make informed decisions — customers are not rushed.
  
  
• Satisfied members: During this year’s open enrollment, Mercer Marketplace’s benefits counselors got satisfaction ratings of 95% from participants who sought personal assistance.
  
  
• Real savings: Medical cost savings amount to $800 per employee on average — $250 for the employee, $550 for the employer. This is accomplished through the right-sizing of coverage — often with a high-deductible plan.
  
  
• One-stop shopping: Mercer Marketplace gives employees the convenience of one-stop shopping for all of their insurance needs. In addition to health insurance, they can purchase a wide variety of products ranging from life insurance to disability protection to critical illness … and more.
  
  
• Employer flexibility: Mercer Marketplace provides a flexible platform that can meet the needs of business with different benefit plan structures and priorities. Case in point: About one-third of Mercer Marketplace’s early adopters shifted to a defined contribution approach this year; one-fourth offered their benefits on a self-insured basis. 

Today’s retiree medical landscape is characterized by unsustainable costs, burdensome administration, and frustrated stakeholders. Plan sponsors are looking for options that will lead to more sustainable programs. There is a robust individual plan market for Medicare-eligible retirees, and employers are beginning to move these retirees to exchanges as a long-term solution.

Retiree exchanges are attractive to plan sponsors for many reasons, including:

• Financial savings.
• Transfer of administration.
• Reduced long-term liability.
• Ability to leverage new plan options for retirees.

In early 2014, Mercer acquired Transition Assist, a retiree exchange specializing in helping individuals and employer-sponsored retirees select Medicare supplemental health care insurance through its licensed call center and benefits counselors. Transition Assist is part of the full suite of solutions offered by Mercer Marketplace^SM.

Transition Assist allows employers to manage costs while offering their retiree population affordable, quality insurance choices with a high degree of dedicated, personalized support. Mercer Marketplace will now be able to reach individual retirees not eligible for an employer-sponsored plan.

Mercer’s Individual Exchange Solution has the ability to enroll part-time employees and individuals who otherwise are ineligible for coverage in public exchanges or in individual off-exchange policies.

Mercer Marketplace^SM, a leading private benefits exchange, and GetInsured provide employees with “one click” access to public exchanges and the individual insurance market. Mercer Marketplace’s individual solution can save employees money by providing access to federal subsidies.

Our award-winning phone, online, and mobile shopping experiences — available in 200 languages — make shopping for benefits easy and convenient. Certified by the federal government to enroll Americans in subsidized health, our licensed agents are available seven days a week to help employees find the right plan and enroll in record time.

Implementation is free and easy, with both online and telephone configuration available. Mercer Marketplace also provides a library of “plug and play” employee communication templates to speed content development. Implementation can take as little as 30 days.

GetInsured offers the widest possible coverage — 7,700 plans from more than 170 carriers — as well as proven reliability. The GetInsured platform powers more than 30% of all state exchanges, including California, New Mexico, Mississippi, and Idaho.