Born out of innovation: The Surest story
Less than a decade ago, the Surest health plan came on the scene, challenging the status quo by bringing simplicity and transparency to benefits. Today, its nearly one million members are a testament to its effectiveness.
Like any good startup, the copay-only Surest® health plan came from a group of innovators discontent with the status quo. These veteran insurance innovators asked themselves, what if health insurance could work like other helpful consumer services? What if provider options and clear costs were available before members sought care?
In 2016, that concept became a reality. In 2017, Bind Benefits, which was later rebranded to Surest, signed its first customers. And in 2022, it upscaled its business, joining with UnitedHealthcare.
How does the Surest plan work?
The Surest plan simplifies coverage and helps improve access to care by eliminating financial barriers (e.g., deductibles and coinsurance) and instead, with an easy-to-use app, members can see clear cost and coverage information upfront, empowering people to shop for care.
Within the app, members can compare care options (including virtual visits), network providers, and see actual copays — not estimates. Copays are typically lower for providers evaluated as higher-value, based on past effectiveness or cost efficiency data.
Then, members pay a single copay for the basic labs, X-rays and health services provided during the visit. In other words, there are no deductibles, no coinsurance and no surprise bills.
This reimagined health plan is accessible, intuitive and affordable — and it’s reducing costs for both employers and employees alike:
- Up to 15% savings for employers1
- 50% average lower member out-of-pocket spend2
- Year-over-year medical trend was less than 5% sustained across 4 years3
Why does Surest work?
With numbers like that, it’s no wonder that when employers are first introduced to the plan some react with: “It’s too good to be true.”
“Our broker explained the magic in the sauce is really through the decision-making of the employee,” said Maria Freda, Chief Client Finance Officer for Horizon Media in New York City.
In other words, with its health plan design, Surest empowers its members. The underlying belief is that when consumers have the tools they need to make informed care decisions, it can result in lower cost of care. Putting members in the driver’s seat of their health care has paid off: According to a third-party study, Surest medical and pharmacy spend was 7.5% lower in 2021 and 7.7% in 2022, compared to the control group.4
The Surest health plan also makes it simpler for members to choose high-value providers, which are proven to bring better outcomes and lower costs. Surest uses visible Care Ratings within the experience to provide member confidence in provider choice by evaluating providers on services they offer, then assigning higher Care Ratings — and lower copays — for higher performing providers. In fact, Surest members chose high-value providers 17% more compared to traditional plans.5
Because of upfront cost and coverage transparency, the Surest plan can help reduce the utilization of potentially wasteful (and costly) treatments. For instance, compared to a control group, Surest members had:5
- 14% fewer emergency room visits
- 14% fewer urgent care visits
- 17% fewer surgeries
- 4% less complex imaging (MRI/CT)
At the same time, Surest members used efficient services more often than the control group:
- 698% more virtual visits
- 584% more virtual mental health
- 8% more preventive visits
- 19% more physical therapy visits
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