Published by Trustmark Small Business Benefits on April 23rd, 2026
Rising healthcare costs continue to challenge employers across the country. For many, annual renewals are no longer just a routine exercise. They are a critical decision point that can determine whether a plan remains sustainable.
Recently, some Trustmark employer groups found themselves in that position. Renewal pricing had reached a point where staying with their current plans felt increasingly difficult even though benefits and service were meeting expectations.
However, renewal pricing reflected how care was actually being used, and for these employers, utilization was already concentrated locally. As a result, renewal outcomes felt out of step with their workforce and budget priorities.
These challenges were not the result of poor service, plan performance, or carrier shortcomings. They were a signal that the network structure no longer matched how employees accessed care.
"This wasn’t about forcing a network change, it was about confirming the right fit. By focusing on the providers that mattered most to members, it became clear Healthcare Highways made sense for these groups.”
- Katrina Anderson, Trustmark Client Manager
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Would a more highly curated network make sense for this group based on where members actually receive care?
Healthcare Highways can be a strong option when it’s the right fit. In each of these three cases, the groups shared a key factor: strong provider coverage in their local markets.
Katrina worked with employers and brokers to review in network providers by ZIP code, focusing specifically on the doctors and hospitals that mattered most to members. That side by side review helped bring clarity and confidence to the decision.
In one situation, a broker had been told the regional network was not very strong. Once provider availability was reviewed by ZIP code, they were surprised by how extensive the coverage actually was. In another case, a group reached out after reviewing renewal options because the savings seemed almost too good to be true, and after reviewing their key providers, every one of them was in network. The review reassured everyone about the fit.
For these groups:
Katrina Anderson did not simply recommend a network. She helped validate it. By reviewing provider access in detail and addressing broker and employer concerns head on, she helped all parties move forward with confidence.
That level of diligence turned skepticism into reassurance and potential client losses into successful renewals.
By pairing a high performance, highly curated regional network with dedicated client management, Trustmark helped three employers stabilize costs, preserve access, and move forward with clarity.
It is a reminder that the right solution is not always bigger. Instead, it is better matched.About Trustmark®
For more than 110 years, Trustmark has been a leader in employee benefits, bringing decades of self‑funded expertise to flexible, modern health plans that help employers manage healthcare responsibly.
Trustmark Small Business Benefits® level-funded solutions, which include PPO plans with access to national networks through Aetna Signature Administrators® and Cigna® PPO Network, Reference Based-Pricing, and dual-option designs, give employers real transparency, predictable monthly costs, and the potential for surplus refunds. Employees receive benefits they can easily use, and brokers get a partner who has delivered stability and service for decades.
Trustmark® and Trustmark Small Business Benefits® are trademarks of Trustmark Insurance Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, which are not affiliates of Star Marketing and Administration, Inc., and Trustmark Life Insurance Company.
Recently, some Trustmark employer groups found themselves in that position. Renewal pricing had reached a point where staying with their current plans felt increasingly difficult even though benefits and service were meeting expectations.
The Challenge: When Broad Access No Longer Aligns with Cost
In each of these cases, the employers were enrolled in broad national provider networks designed to deliver expansive access across many geographies. Those networks serve an important purpose and work well for many groups.However, renewal pricing reflected how care was actually being used, and for these employers, utilization was already concentrated locally. As a result, renewal outcomes felt out of step with their workforce and budget priorities.
These challenges were not the result of poor service, plan performance, or carrier shortcomings. They were a signal that the network structure no longer matched how employees accessed care.
"This wasn’t about forcing a network change, it was about confirming the right fit. By focusing on the providers that mattered most to members, it became clear Healthcare Highways made sense for these groups.”
- Katrina Anderson, Trustmark Client Manager
A More Targeted Approach: Evaluating Network Fit
Rather than defaulting to benefit reductions or accepting an unsustainable renewal, Trustmark Client Manager Katrina took a more measured approach, starting with one critical question:Would a more highly curated network make sense for this group based on where members actually receive care?
Healthcare Highways can be a strong option when it’s the right fit. In each of these three cases, the groups shared a key factor: strong provider coverage in their local markets.
Katrina worked with employers and brokers to review in network providers by ZIP code, focusing specifically on the doctors and hospitals that mattered most to members. That side by side review helped bring clarity and confidence to the decision.
In one situation, a broker had been told the regional network was not very strong. Once provider availability was reviewed by ZIP code, they were surprised by how extensive the coverage actually was. In another case, a group reached out after reviewing renewal options because the savings seemed almost too good to be true, and after reviewing their key providers, every one of them was in network. The review reassured everyone about the fit.
Case Study Results: Three Employers, Meaningful Impact
Employer Group #1- Overall impact: Renewal cost pressure significantly reduced
- Result after moving to HCH: Meaningful savings achieved
- Total savings: 14.7%
- Network access:
- 1,645 primary care providers within 25 miles
- 16 hospitals
- Other plan changes: None
- Overall impact: Renewal outcome shifted from increase to net savings
- Total savings: 30.7%
- Network access:
- 1,237 primary care providers within 25 miles
- 12 hospitals
- Other plan changes: None
- Overall impact: Renewal cost increases largely eliminated
- Total savings: 17%
- Network access:
- 443 primary care providers within 25 miles
- 12 hospitals
- Other plan changes: None
Why a Highly Curated Network Made the Difference
These outcomes highlight an important distinction: curated means intentional, not limited.For these groups:
- Employees were already using local providers
- Provider access aligned well with a regional network
- Reviewing networks by ZIP code revealed strong, practical coverage
- Employers avoided paying for access they didn’t need
The Human Element: Client Advocacy in Action
While the network change played a critical role, these renewals would not have been saved without hands on client advocacy.Katrina Anderson did not simply recommend a network. She helped validate it. By reviewing provider access in detail and addressing broker and employer concerns head on, she helped all parties move forward with confidence.
That level of diligence turned skepticism into reassurance and potential client losses into successful renewals.
The Takeaway
Sometimes rising renewal costs call for better alignment instead of drastic change.By pairing a high performance, highly curated regional network with dedicated client management, Trustmark helped three employers stabilize costs, preserve access, and move forward with clarity.
It is a reminder that the right solution is not always bigger. Instead, it is better matched.
About Trustmark®
Smarter health plans, backed by experience.
For more than 110 years, Trustmark has been a leader in employee benefits, bringing decades of self‑funded expertise to flexible, modern health plans that help employers manage healthcare responsibly.Trustmark Small Business Benefits® level-funded solutions, which include PPO plans with access to national networks through Aetna Signature Administrators® and Cigna® PPO Network, Reference Based-Pricing, and dual-option designs, give employers real transparency, predictable monthly costs, and the potential for surplus refunds. Employees receive benefits they can easily use, and brokers get a partner who has delivered stability and service for decades.
Trustmark® and Trustmark Small Business Benefits® are trademarks of Trustmark Insurance Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, which are not affiliates of Star Marketing and Administration, Inc., and Trustmark Life Insurance Company.
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Written by Trustmark Small Business Benefits
We believe all businesses – regardless of size – deserve affordable, tailored health plan solutions that match their goals and help employees thrive. We deliver big benefits for small business.
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