Enhancing Employee Well-Being and Reducing Cost: Ohio Bankers Benefits Trust's Success with Hinge Health

"I am really enjoying this program and feeling much better! I often do the stretches outside of the scheduled dates, especially when I don’t have time to complete the entire program. I sit behind a computer, and the stretches are very helpful for stiffness and pain. I even do them when there’s no pain at all because they relieve stiffness. It’s a great program!"

Ohio Bankers Benefits Trust member and Hinge Health participant

About Ohio Bankers Benefits Trust

Ohio Bankers Benefits Trust (OBBT) is a self-insured Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA) primarily serving banks in Ohio. With a diverse workforce of 5,000 eligible lives, OBBT is committed to providing high-quality benefits and exceptional customer service. 

Chris Zeek, the Benefits Manager at OBBT, has been with the company for 8 years and is passionate about offering white-glove concierge service to all members. “I try to always say yes and ensure that I am helpful to our members.”

Ohio Bankers Benefits Trust’s workforce and benefits challenges

OBBT’s workforce is highly diverse, their members range from the bank’s cleaning staff up to the presidents of the banks. This diversity presents several unique challenges in managing and communicating benefits effectively. 

Key challenges included:

• High MSK Claims: Musculoskeletal (MSK) claims were quite high and became a significant financial burden for OBBT. 

• Indirect Communication: Due to the structure of the Board of Trustees and OBBT’s status as a MEWA, Chris and her team rarely interact directly with the members they serve. Instead, they primarily  communicate with the HR leaders of each bank. In the banking industry, these HR leaders often wear many hats, which can sometimes result in communication stopping with them. Therefore,  OBBT realized they needed to come up with a creative way to communicate and reach members directly, ensuring they receive information about the benefits OBBT offers. 

• Vendor Reputation: OBBT has specific criteria for selecting vendors, as their recommendations directly impact the trust and satisfaction of both the banks they serve and the employees associated with each bank. Vendors must be responsive, treat members like family, provide white-glove concierge service, be transparent about issues, and offer a high return on investment. 

Chris explains, “Communication is our biggest challenge. We have banks located all over Ohio and employees across the country. Our setup is quite complex which leads to the difficulty of reaching employees spread across various locations and job functions.”

Ohio Bankers Benefits Trust’s MSK benefits program and implementation

To address these challenges, OBBT partnered with Hinge Health in 2023 after a thorough vendor selection process. "We made the decision to go with Hinge Health based on their strong reputation, competitive pricing, excellent customer service, and the high return on investment we anticipated," said Chris. 

To ensure the new benefit reached as many employees as possible, Chris and her team launched an email campaign to generate excitement and awareness about Hinge Health before the 2023 open enrollment period opened. 

Chris explained, “When we were onboarding Hinge Health in 2023, we sent emails prior to the launch in late 2022 and we received so many emails asking when Hinge Health was starting. Some of our members even tried signing up too early because they were just excited to get started!” This strong start continued throughout the first year, with impressive year 1 engagement and outcomes. In 2024, OBBT added on the Women’s Pelvic Health Program and in 2025, they really began promoting Enso, and saw a huge up-tick in usage. 

The OBBT team has already seen several significant outcomes as reported directly by members:

• Positive Feedback: Members self reported substantial improvements in their MSK conditions, with many avoiding surgery and experiencing reduced pain and stiffness. They have shared their stories personally with Chris, which has allowed her to relay this feedback to the Board, who makes the decisions on which benefits to continue with. 

  • 43% of members reported an average reduction in pain within the first 90 days ,and 53% within the first year. 

  • 78% of members who are enrolled in the Women’s Pelvic Health Program reported an average symptom reduction within the first 90 days. 

  • 77% of members reached MCID (minimal clinically important difference) compared to 59% in traditional physical therapy*. 

*Olsen, MF et al. Journal of clinical epidemiology (2018). Eleswarapu, AS et al. Spine (2016).

• High Engagement: Despite initial concerns about communicating the program to members, the program saw high participation rates, with many members actively using their Enso devices and following the exercise routines.

  • Since launching Hinge Health in 2023, OBBT has seen a 16% increase of enrollment in their medical plan. 

• Financial Impact: The program has been cost-effective, with positive ROI and reduced MSK claims. 

  • OBBT’s projected ROI: 2.9x (calculated from their 2023 launch through early 2025)

  • As of early 2025, OBBT has reported a 14% decrease in their per member per month (PMPM) spend for MSK related claims. 

• Employee Satisfaction: Testimonials from employees highlight the program's effectiveness and the positive impact on their daily lives.

Chris shared, “Getting feedback is always difficult, but we really want to understand how our benefits are being perceived. I will say though, whenever we do hear back about Hinge Health, the feedback is always positive, which is unheard of in the benefits world!” Chris also uses Hinge Health herself and typically refers to her Enso as “her best friend.” 

By partnering with Hinge Health, OBBT has not only successfully addressed the challenges of managing and communicating benefits to a diverse and widely dispersed workforce but the program has also improved employee well-being and reduced MSK claims. OBBT's strategic approach to direct communication and personalized support has been instrumental in the program's success.