Message from the President

With 2025 now underway, we are filled with optimism and excitement for what’s to come. I want to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for having you as part of the MBGH family. The continued support and engagement of our members has been invaluable, and we're excited to embark on another year of growth, collaboration and shared success.

Below, we are announcing the many exciting opportunities in the upcoming year and reflecting on the accomplishments of 2024.

As always, please feel free to reach out to me or any member of the MBGH team with questions, ideas, feedback, or just to connect. We're here for you!

What's coming up in 2025?

Pulse of the Purchaser Employer Survey Results

The employer health benefits survey offers valuable insights into employer challenges, opportunities, and strategies related to medical, pharmacy, fiduciary requirements, and more. MBGH is leveraging the results of the survey to shape programming in 2025. A heartfelt "thank you" to everyone who took the time to participate -- your feedback is greatly appreciated!

2025 Educational Programs and Webinars

January 29, 2025

Full-Day Forum

Employer-Only Program

Power Up!

Turning the Wellness Paradigm Upside-Down

 March 4, 2025

Webinar

Open to all

Empowering Employers: Experts Weigh in on CGM Technology, Benefits, and the Need for Choice

March 26, 2025

Full-Day Forum

Open to all

Bold Moves to Address Mental Health: Connection, Culture

and Inclusion

Additional 2025 educational programs are listed below. Visit the MBGH Upcoming Programs webpage for details as they become available.

• April 10, 2025: Biosimilars Webinar
• June 25, 2025: Employer Forum on Pharmacy Benefits, Specialty & Biopharma Therapies
• September 24, 2025 Forum: Tackling the Chronic Condition Trifecta: Cardiovascular, Diabetes and Obesity
• …and many more to be added throughout the year  

Employer Member-Only Mental Health First Aid Training

Mental health continues to be a top priority area for our members. In 2024, our employer member-only Mental Health First Aid Trainings quickly filled to capacity, so we are excited to offer them again this year on May 29, 2025 and June 24, 2025. Details forthcoming.

Employer Member-Only Monthly Roundtables

MBGH is hosting employer-only MBGH member virtual roundtables the 2^nd Thursday of most months from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (CT), Trending Topics: 2025 Employer Member Health Benefits Roundtable Series. Each roundtable will feature content experts who will facilitate interactive discussions on the latest news and issues. Employer members register once for the whole series. Attend one or attend them all.

February's Topic: Optimizing Drug Formularies for Better Care and Cost

Employer Action Briefs

In 2025, watch for action briefs on biosimilars, vaccine confidence & continuous glucose monitoring. Each action brief provides the business case, challenges/opportunities and action steps for employers to evaluate and enhance current offerings and/or guidance on beginning a new initiative.

MBGH 45th Annual Conference

JW Marriott Chicago

May 5, 2025: Employer-Only Pre-Conference

May 6-7, 2025: Annual Conference

Early-bird reduced registration rates end January 31, 2025!

Join fellow employers at the MBGH 45th Annual Conference to better understand the illusions that exist in health care and benefits and how to pave the way to a new reality where employers reclaim, leverage, and rebalance relationships with benefits partners. Expert speakers will provide the latest research, success stories, candid perspectives, and fresh ideas you can use right away.

New in 2025! Employer Members: MBGH is offering complimentary registration for one HR benefits professional per member company and discounted rates for additional registrants! To receive this offer, 2025 membership dues must be paid in full. A one-time-use discount code will be emailed to the primary contacts of member organizations by the end of January.

Ongoing Employer Resources

Employer Connect

Our member sharing portal, Employer Connect, continues to provide an avenue for MBGH employer members to share best practices and seek input from peers. Some discussions this past year: CAA, paid leave, total rewards, healthcare navigation, prescription drugs, women's health, disability, and fraud, waste & abuse.

Community Initiatives Webpage

For 45 years, MBGH has been committed to supporting community health initiatives by bringing together members of the business, hospital, physician, health plan, government, consumer and voluntary association sectors to support improved health and quality of care for all populations.

MBGH Partner Resources

MBGH partner members and non-profit organizations are invited to provide topic-specific resources for MBGH employer members. Each resource is thoroughly vetted and posted on our Partner Resources webpage. Some 2024 resources include information on women's health, obesity, mental health, wellbeing and much more. Check it out!

Midwest Health Purchasers Collaborative

Through the Midwest Health Purchasers Collaborative, MBGH members have access to a suite of health benefit services at reduced and competitive prices with each of our vetted partners. These best-in-class vendors provide employers with customized solutions to fit their company’s overall population health engagement strategy.

2024 Year in Review

New MBGH Members

In 2024, MBGH proudly welcomed 17 new employer member organizations. We are grateful for the diversity of our membership and the opportunity to share best practices and learn from each other. That’s the Power of MBGH!

Alcon

CDW

Constellation Energy

Designer Brands

Ecolab

KeHE Distributors

Lakeshore Technical College

Mauser Packaging Solutions

Medical College of Wisconsin

NAMI Chicago

National Kidney Foundation of Illinois

NFP

Sandoz

State Farm

UnitedHealthcare

Univar Solutions

University Hospitals

New Board of Directors Member

MBGH is pleased to welcome Nina Auffart to our dynamic board of industry experts and progressive employers who dedicate their time and expertise serving the mission of MBGH.

Nina Auffart

H&W Strategy and

Wellbeing Manager

Fortune Brands Innovations

Employer Member-Only Roundtables

Monthly virtual roundtables were a big success in 2024! Employers had lively discussions about AI, legislation, claims data, the urgency to get to fair hospital pricing, lawsuits, contracting, the clinician shortage and obesity.

Educational Programs & Webinars



MBGH conducted 12 educational programs in 2024 and we already have eight programs and trainings scheduled in 2025 -- with more to come! Program recordings and summaries are archived on our Past Educational Programs webpage.

MBGH 44th Annual Conference

The MBGH 44th Annual Conference was a roaring success! We gathered to learn, collaborate, network, and simply share some quality time together. 100% of evaluations collected indicate they would recommend this conference to their colleagues. 

Many of you shared with us that it was “the best conference ever!" See what attendees had to say:

• The best in the business -- very timely topics for benefits today!
• This conference helped me prepare for discussions with my senior leadership about healthcare costs.
• Great line-up of speakers!
• I learned how to use data to identify solutions that align with core organizational values. Thank you! 
• Love how the employers shared real stories -- so valuable!

Employer Action Briefs & Snapshot

In 2024, MBGH launched five new action briefs and one new snapshot. Click images to view.

Employer Toolkits

In 2024, MBGH released new & updated toolkits. Use them to evaluate and enhance your current offerings or for guidance on beginning a new initiative. Click the images to view.

MBGH in the News - 2024

MBGH events, initiatives, staff and members were highlighted in The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Crain's Chicago Business, and more. View recent articles, press releases and news on the MBGH News webpage.

Makers of Weight-Loss Drugs Want Your Employer to

Pay for Them

November 19, 2024

More Illinois Hospitals get

A Grades for Safety;

a Dozen get D's

November 15, 2024

Illinois Climbs Seven Spots in Hospital Safety Rankings

November 15, 2024

Options for Ensuring Care

October 31, 2024

5 Worst States for Obesity

October 14, 2024

Mental Health in the Workplace: Shifting from Stigma to Solutions is Key for Employers

May 7, 2024

Employer Panel Stresses Specialty Drug Management, PBM Bidding

August 8, 2024

Collaborative Launches

Employer Guide for

Oncology Management

July 11, 2024

Stuck in the Middle:

Employers' Challenges in Accessing Their Health Data

July 28, 2024

Why Healthcare Data

is Vital

for Employers

May 22, 2024

Inside the Breathtaking World of Therapeutic Psychedelics: Great Promise and Great Challenges

May 22, 2024

Employers Play an

Important Role in

Addressing Provider Shortages

April 30, 2024

Johnson & Johnson Drug

Benefits Suit 'Absolutely' a Wake-up Call for Employers, Exec Says

February 29, 2024

From Stigma to Solutions: MBGH Panel Explores Mental Health Paradigm Shift in the Workplace

March 8, 2024

Mental Health Forum 2024:

How the Mental Health Parity Act Affects Employers and Providers

February 28, 2024

The MBGH staff wishes you all a healthy 2025. Please reach out to any MBGH

team member with new ideas, feedback,

or just to say hello!

Bottom Row: Cheryl Larson, Dawn Weddle

Top Row: Allison Larsen, Lori Hurtt,

John Butler, Samantha Clark, Mark Pfleger,

Mindy McBee, Paula Sheehan