Case Study: Western Kentucky University achieves $2M in health care savings and 54% HDHP adoption with Benefitfocus Benefitplace

Achieving a $2M Reduction in Health Care Spend at Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University (WKU) is a public university serving over 20,000 students with about 2,300 employees across multiple campuses. Facing rising health costs and relying on the same PPO plans for 16 years, WKU set out in 2015 to overhaul benefits with consumer-directed health plans (including a high-deductible option) and a new wellness program, but needed a clear way to communicate changes and help employees understand the value of the new options.

WKU implemented Benefitfocus Benefitplace™ with Health Insights to present plan choices, provide decision-support using personalized claims data, and deliver targeted communications and wellness incentives at enrollment. The result was a 54% adoption rate in the key HDHP in year one, a $2 million reduction in total health care spend, 92% wellness participation, and three-quarters of HDHP participants paying less out-of-pocket than under the old PPOs.

Western Kentucky University

Kari Aikins

Assistant HR Director, Total Compensation