Plan ManagementNavigator

    Data-driven insights on health plan costs, operations, and strategy. Free analysis drawn from the Sherlock Benchmarks.

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    Lighthouse with light trails

    What We Cover

    Navigator provides analytics for health plan administration, focusing on expenses under management's direct control. Much of the content is derived from our surveys of health plans participating in the Sherlock Benchmarks.

    Topics include functional area costs, drivers of administrative expenses like product mix and operational metrics, and economies of scale. Navigator is free and published periodically.

    Past Issues

    July 2026

    Independent / Provider-Sponsored Plans' Administrative Expense in 2025

    June 2026

    Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans' Administrative Expense in 2025

    Late March 2026

    Third-Party Administrator Benchmarking Results for 2025

    Early March 2026

    Measuring the Impact of Risk Adjustment Spending

    February 2026

    What Drives Administrative Costs?

    January 2026

    Why Larger Health Plans Don't Always Mean Lower Costs

    December 2025

    Premiums are Expected to Increase at Highest Pace Since 2018

    Late-November 2025

    When Membership Swings, Costs Are Slow to Follow

    Mid-November 2025

    Best-in-Class Independent/Provider-Sponsored Plans: Factors of Performance

    Early-November 2025

    Best-in-Class BCBS Plans: Factors of Performance

    Late-October 2025

    The Limits of Scale: What Size Really Means for Health Plan Administrative Costs

    Mid-October 2025

    Core Expense Growth Decelerates for Medicaid Plans in 2024

    Early-October 2025

    Medicare Plans' Administrative Expense Growth Decelerated in 2024

    September 2025

    Three Models for Health Plan Strategic Planning

    Early August 2025

    Administrative Costs of Larger Health Plans in 2024

    July 2025

    Independent / Provider - Sponsored Plans' Administrative Expense Growth Decelerated in 2024

    June 2025

    Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans' Administrative Expense Growth Decelerated Again in 2024

    Mid-May 2025

    Customer Services and Customers Served

    May 2025

    Operational Drivers Behind Cost Management

    Late April 2025

    Health Care Management Resource Links Between Medicaid, Commercial Insured and ACA Products

    April 2025

    Returns on Medicare Risk Adjustment

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