HLTH, the world’s largest conference on health innovation for individuals, companies, and policymakers who are reshaping the industry, and Mercer, a global consulting leader in health, wealth, and career announced today that the two firms have signed an agreement to create a new forum for employers within the HLTH 2019 event.

The purpose of this collaboration is to work with employers to advance innovations that accelerate the transformation of the US healthcare system. Employers provide health coverage for more than 180 million people (more than half of the US population)¹ and spend more than $880 billion on healthcare.²

“Our nation is facing continually rising healthcare costs, with employers bearing a significant portion of the total cost,” said Sharon Cunninghis, US Health Leader for Mercer. “Reversing this long-term trend will require far greater co-creation and collaboration across the health ecosystem than we’ve seen in the past. At the HLTH 2019 conference, employers will unite with thousands of innovators and stakeholders in reimagining and reshaping health benefit plans, digital programs and solutions that simplify the experience for employees and their families, change behaviors and improve outcomes, while lowering costs.”

“Mercer’s collaboration with HLTH provides the bridge for ambitious employers seeking to demonstrably alter the unsustainable trajectory of increasingly poor health and rising health costs through innovation,” said Jonathan Weiner, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of HLTH. “Employers attending HLTH will have the opportunity to learn from, influence, and interact with stakeholders across the health ecosystem, including payers, providers, government, academia, associations, community agencies, startups and investors, and will contribute to the latest in health benefits and employee engagement strategies.”

The agreement between Mercer and HLTH aligns Mercer’s extensive experience and expertise in helping employers design and manage health and benefit programs, with HLTH’s proven ability to organize and orchestrate disruptive industry events that result in lasting improvements for individuals, companies and communities. Mercer’s commitment to practical “innovation that works” through its US Center for Health Innovation provides a meaningful framework for employers to lead the way in driving change.

For more information, please visit https://hlth.com/employer-program/ or https://www.mercer.us/our-thinking/health/consumer-centric-healthcare.html.