Nava Benefits Acquires Consulting Firm to Improve Employee Experience

Benefits brokerage firm Nava Benefits announced it has acquired Nielsen Benefits Group Inc.—a company known for designing benefits solutions that lower health care costs for small and midsize employers.  

This acquisition is intended to “revolutionize the benefits service delivery model for employers and improve their member experience,” according to Nava. 

In April 2022, Nava launched its Benefits Search Engine, which includes more than 600 benefits offerings and allows employers to browse a wide range of modern, digital-friendly health and wellness benefits offerings across 28 benefits categories, including telehealth, fertility, addiction, wellness coaching, direct primary care, tuition assistance and mental health. 

As employer health care costs have grown by 20% since 2017, Nava stated that this disproportionately impacts small to midsize employers. For example, new research conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business found that 98% of small businesses are concerned that health care costs will become “unsustainable” for them in the next five to 10 years.    

Nava argued that with its expertise and technology, the firm has helped employers reduce their health care costs, simplify their offerings and make it easier for employees to understand and use their benefits. By joining forces, Nava and NBG expect to combine “deep consulting expertise with cutting-edge technology” to bring a “modern benefits approach” to more midsize employers, according to a press release. 

Nava’s technology includes the firm’s Nava Benefits App, which can provide clients’ participants access to health care and carrier information. 

“In getting to know the NBG team, three things were crystal clear: They share our belief that benefits brokers have an outsized ability to fix healthcare; they care deeply about leveling up the member experience and supporting employees throughout each stage of their healthcare journey; and they actually deliver on the promise of lowering costs,” said Brandon Weber, CEO and co-founder of Nava Benefits, in a press release. “We’re excited to come together to make cost-effective healthcare more accessible for employers and employees alike.” 

NBG is recognized for its focus on customized plan design and employee benefits education targeted toward midsize employers who have been “historically underserved in the market.” 

“After three decades of building Nielsen Benefits Group into an award-winning employee benefits brokerage, I wanted to find a partner who could take our client and market impact to new highs,” said Craig Nielsen, president and CEO of NBG. “Nava emerged as the clear choice versus traditional brokerages, offering a compelling partnership that brings cutting-edge innovation to our clients and a deeply mission-driven culture to my team.”