Cut Through the Noise:

Why Indexed Reimbursement is the Future of Fair Benefits

By William Green

The latest national pricing data confirms what many employers already suspect: the same medical procedure can cost two to nine times more depending on the hospital, insurer, or even the contract. A bypass surgery at one Boston hospital, for instance, billed Aetna members nearly $50,000 less than UnitedHealthcare members, according to a recent Fierce Healthcare report on Trilliant Health’s transparency analysis.^[1]

For employers footing the bill, this isn’t just unfair, it’s a liability. Transparency laws now shine a spotlight on how plan dollars are spent, and under ERISA, fiduciary responsibility means you can’t ignore waste or arbitrary pricing.

That’s where PERMA FAIR comes in. We bring indexed reimbursement to employers—tying payments to a fair benchmark (like Medicare plus a defined margin) instead of letting opaque contracts dictate wild swings in cost.

Here’s what that delivers:

• Fiduciary protection: Employers can show regulators, employees, and auditors that payments are consistent and defensible.
• Cost savings: No more paying 200% more just because of which network you’re in. Predictable, rational pricing protects both employer and employee wallets.
• Better employee experience: Employees are covered at fair rates without hidden markups or surprise medical bills driving fear and frustration.

Transparency data is a gift—but only if you act on it. Indexed reimbursement takes raw numbers and turns them into real strategy. It removes gamesmanship from the system and replaces it with fairness, consistency, and accountability.

Healthcare is finally being forced to behave like every other market. Employers who act now can lock in fair, sustainable costs and deliver benefits they can stand behind with confidence.

At PERMA FAIR, that’s exactly what we do: help employers protect their employees and themselves with a model that’s simple, transparent, and fair.

If you’re ready to move beyond arbitrary pricing and deliver benefits you can stand behind with confidence, let’s schedule time to talk. Email me directly or visit permafair.com/contact-us to see how PERMA FAIR can transform your benefits experience. 

References

1. Tong, Noah, “Armed with pricing data, employers may confront new legal obligations when selecting health plans”, Fierce Healthcare.