Consumer Driven Health Plans Cover More Employees than
HMOs
August 18, 2009 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Consumer Driven
Health Plans (CDHPs) in the U.S. have surpassed HMO plans in
covered employees, according to preliminary results released
by United Benefit Advisors (UBA) from its 2009 UBA Health
Plan Survey, a plan benchmarking poll with 17,655 plans from
12,316 employers reporting.
According to a press release, CDHPs grew at a rate of
33.9% this past year and now cover more employees (15.4%)
than HMO plans (13.6%). The Northeast region of the country
had the largest concentration of CDHPs (23%), followed by
the North Central region (20.1%).
The average cost increase for all CDHPs at 6.3% was
lower than that of the average of all plan types, which
increased 7.3% this year, the press release said.
Employers often offset the higher out-of-pocket costs of
CDHPs by offering employees a health reimbursement account
(HRA) or a health savings account (HSA) and contributing
funds. The survey found the average employer contribution
to an HRA was $1,310 (up from $1,209 in 2008) for a single
employee and $2,502 for a family (up from $2,274 in
2008).
Other findings from the 2009 UBA Health Plan Survey
included:
-
PPO plans have nearly two-thirds of all enrolled
employees (63.9%);
-
Fee For Service Plans are all but extinct, with
only 0.4% of employees enrolled;
-
The average employee contribution for plans with
contributions for all plan types is $105 for single and
$419 for family;
-
More than three-fourths of all wellness plans
(78.4%) offered a health risk assessment;
-
More than two-thirds (67.2%) of all family plans
without a deductible are located in the Northeast and
West;
-
Of all plans in the Northeast, 86.6% have 100%
coinsurance; and
-
52.7% of all covered employees also elected to
cover their dependents.
The 2009 UBA Health Plan Survey will be available to
the public after November 1.
More information is at
www.UBAbenefits.com
.
Rebecca Moore
editors@plansponsor.com