Smart Tech and Human Touch: How Gravie Is Reinventing Employee Health Benefits

Guest Post :: We started Gravie with a simple yet strong conviction – that when people are free to make their own choices with their own money, they make better decisions and are happier with their choices than when someone else makes those decisions on their behalf.

Gravie is reinventing employee health benefits, making them easier and more affordable for employers and employees. There are more generations in the workforce than ever. That means different employee health benefits, needs and communication styles for different people. In the Gravie model, instead of having traditional group insurance, employers give their employees money through the Gravie platform, allowing them to buy a customized plan from our benefits marketplace that meets their unique needs. With Gravie, there is no more one-size-fits-all group plans that play to the average. 

Consumers are ready for more choice. The technology is there. Regulatory changes allow for the Gravie model to be a viable solution. We also work with individuals to help them navigate the often challenging benefits place. 

Consumers are more ready than ever to take on an active role in their healthcare. Decision-making tools and technology have also rapidly improved. Advanced recommendation engines can assess a consumer’s financial situation, healthcare needs, appetite for risk, and serve-up the plans they should consider, out of the dozens (sometime hundreds) that are available. If the consumer prefers to deal with a human, technology can also equip advisors with the appropriate information, and enable them to provide the best possible customer service. The advancements in technology have created a safety net of sorts for the consumer – by making relevant information available and consumable, the chance of bad choices is minimized.

Regulatory changes have made the individual market more feasible for consumers. Today we have something called “guaranteed issue” – insurance-speak for the fact that no one can get denied insurance or get charged more for it simply because of their health history. Everybody is guaranteed to get insurance at prices that have nothing to do with their health. 

Over the past several decades, employers have primarily played the role of decision maker when it came to their employee health benefits. This has led to frustration from both the employer and employee perspective. 

The time has come for change. The time has come for employers to stop being administrators and decision-makers of their employee health benefits. The time has come to give consumers the freedom of choice. The time has come for Gravie. 

Erin Duffy is in a New Business/Sales role at Gravie (pronounced gravy). Erin has been in the employee benefits industry for 8+ and has spent her career helping employers craft a total rewards strategy to maximize efficiencies and employer dollars. In Erin’s role at Gravie, she helps employers of all sizes budget for and manage healthcare (medical, dental, vision, etc.). She’s a member of the Chicago Sinfonietta Associate Board, a member of the Connections Committee at StepUp, and involved in multiple charitable organizations. Erin’s personal mission is to connect great people. Erin is authentic in all interactions and eager to help people.