- The costs of company-sponsored health plans in 2022 are projected to rise 7.4 percent.
- The regions where the increase will be greatest are the Middle East and Africa.
- On the other hand, in Europe the variations will be minimal.
As part of a webinar organized by Aon, the results of the study were presented Global Medical Trends 2022. What it mentions is that the costs of medical benefits provided by companies in Mexico are forecast to increase 16 percent in 2022, surpassing general inflation by 13.8 percent.
The increase in costs for Mexico’s employer-sponsored health plan expected in the coming year is due to a combination of higher costs for deferred treatment for conditions not directly linked to the pandemic. While these actions will continue to drive growth in average medical costs.
“The long-term solution is optimization in the design of medical insurance, establishing a financial strategy and distribution mechanisms are an excellent start for employers. Although to be able to attack in depth it is necessary to provide robust medical attention, as well as health benefits to all employees and their families”, pointed out Omar Viveros, Head of Health & Human Capital Mexico, Caribbean and Central America.
Globally, the costs of medical plans sponsored by companies in 2022 will increase by 7.4 percent. This is primarily due to the return of medical utilization to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, extended benefits, higher unit costs for medical services, and an anticipated increase in overall inflation.
Projected medical trend rates vary significantly by region. Costs are expected to rise the most in the Middle East/Africa regions, with average medical trend rates forecast at 11.1 percent. By contrast, Europe is projected to experience the lowest average medical premium rate increase, at 5.6 percent.
Projected growth in the cost of health care benefits from 2021 to 2022
Along with the global pandemic, Aon’s report confirms the growing impact of non-communicable diseases on healthcare costs globally. In Mexico, ailments such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lung disorders, and high blood pressure were the most prevalent health conditions that generated medical care claims.
Main medical conditions in Mexico and the world
The Aon report also reports the increasing prevalence of risk factors derived from unhealthy personal habits in Mexico. Among the main ones are blood pressure, poor diet, lack of physical activity, high blood glucose levels and obesity.
Main risk factors for health in Mexico and worldwide
“Looking ahead to the year ahead, most countries expect medical utilization levels to be higher than those seen since the start of the pandemic. Outpatient and preventive care are the medical services that are projected to increase in use the most in the coming year. The use of telehealth services is also expected to increase during 2022, continuing the strong increase observed during the pandemic”, commented Max Saraví, Head of Health and Human Capital Solutions of Aon for Latin America.
Global Medical Trends 2022 Report Methodology
The survey was conducted among 108 Aon offices, each representative of a country, that broker, administer or advise on employer-sponsored health plans in each of the countries covered in this report. Survey responses they reflect Aon professionals’ expectations of medical trends based on their interactions with customers and insurers represented in the company’s portfolio of health plans business in each country.