Benz Communications Releases '8 health insurance terms every American needs to know'

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Aug 20, 2014) - Benz Communications today announced a new guide, "8 health insurance terms every American needs to know," the latest in its suite of free downloadable resources. Benz Communications is a leading communications consulting and marketing firm, specializing in HR and benefits strategy.

According to a study from Carnegie Mellon University, just 14% of Americans can accurately define these common and critical health insurance terms: deductible, copay, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum. Further, one of the top mistakes employees make when selecting benefit plans is not knowing what benefits they currently have and what they cost.

Such statistics are more troubling when coupled with projections about the future of health plan design. The National Business Group on Health finds that the number of employers offering an high-deductible health plan as the sole health benefits option is expected to surge by nearly 50% in 2015.

Americans' health literacy needs to vastly improve -- and in short order -- so that consumers can better understand, navigate and maximize HDHPs. The "8 terms" guide helps employers jump-start that education.

"While employers want employees to be taking an active role in managing their health care costs, very few do an adequate job teaching employees the fundamentals of health care literacy. We believe this guide can be a helpful first step," says Jennifer Benz, founder and CEO of Benz Communications.

The 12-page PDF guide offers plain-language definitions and simple visuals to explain common health insurance words and phrases. These are critical for every consumer to know, no matter how they purchase health insurance.

"Employers can use this guide to supplement annual enrollment communications, host webinars or meetings about health insurance, and serve as a simple reference for employees and family members," continues Jen. "We hope this will save busy HR/benefits professionals time, and improve the results they get from health care education."

"8 health insurance terms every American needs to know" is available for free download on the Benz Communications website.

About Benz Communications
Benz Communications is a benefits communications strategy firm creating integrated employee benefits campaigns for employers committed to nurturing high-performing and satisfied employees. Benz Communications' clients include Fortune 500 companies and Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For. Additional information about is available at www.benzcommunications.com.