Headlines about "Health plans - consumer-driven"
Gathered from the web by the editors at BenefitsLink.com.
Patients in Consumer-Driven Health Plans Show More Cost-Conscious Behavior (PDF)
"[T]hose in [consumer-driven health plans] were more likely to say they had checked whether their plan would cover care; asked for a generic drug instead of a brand name drug; talked to their doctor about treatment options and costs; talked to their doctor about prescription drug options and costs; developed a budget to manage health care expenses; checked a price of service before getting care; and used an online cost-tracking tool." (Employee Benefit Research Institute)
When Health Plans Go High Deductible
"The goal is to give consumers more incentives to not spend on the care they don't need, but these plans often raise concerns that subscribers will cut back on the care that they do need, too. A new study from a team of Harvard researchers explores how health insurance plans with high deductible effect the care that families do, and don't, seek." (The Washington Post; free registration required)
How a Defined Contribution Approach Can Help Employers Control Health Costs and Give Employees Wider Range of Options
"[I]n a defined contribution approach, the employer designates a fixed amount of money, or a defined contribution, to each employee. Employees then use that money to purchase individual health care insurance, selecting products that specifically meet their needs and those of their dependents." (Smart Business Network Inc.)
More Consumers Choosing High-Deductible Plans
"Not everyone enrolled in a high-deductible health plan is eligible for a paired health savings account, but even those who are often skip it. As of 2011, 38% of those with a high-deductible plan, or an estimated 7.3 million people, were eligible but did not open an account, according to the EBRI." (American Medical Association)
Findings from The 2011 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey
"A significant portion of the population reported using a smartphone, and 1 in 5 reported using a tablet. Among them, about one-quarter reported using an app for health-related purposes. Among those not using an app, nearly one-half were interested in using one." (Empoyee Benefits Research Institute)
Sending Out 2011 With a Rush on Flexible Spending
"Yet a surprising number of workers don't take part: Mercer's 2011 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans shows that healthcare spending accounts are offered by 85 percent of employers, yet have an average employee participation rate of just 22 percent." (Reuters)
Beyond Rational Thinking: Using Behavioral Economics to Improve Workforce Health and Organizational Outcomes
"Behavioral economics can play an important part in an organization's open-enrollment process where a key goal is to steer employees toward more cost-effective health plan options. . . . An effective technique [is] to encourage employees to select one of the better health plan options is known as 'choice architecture' -- how the various options are framed, ordered and described." (Sibson Consulting)
Findings from the 2011 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey (PDF)
"The survey finds continued growth in consumer-driven health plans: In 2011, 7 percent of the population was enrolled in a CDHP, up from 5 percent in 2010." (Employee Benefit Research Institute)
Health Savings Accounts and Account-Based Health Plans
"This report outlines research findings and statistics about HSAs in the following areas: enrollment, age and income distribution, health status, premiums, preventive care, and account information." (AHIP Coverage)
[Opinion] Defined Contributions Define Health Care Future
"The market today is dominated by 'defined-benefit' plans, under which companies determine a set of health-insurance benefits that are provided for employees. These will gradually be replaced by defined-contribution plans, under which companies pay a fixed amount, and employees use the money to buy or help pay for insurance they choose themselves." (Bloomberg L.P.)
Implementing an HSA with HDHP: How Hard Could it Be?
"This post explores some of the general eligibility questions we are asked most frequently. It is the first in a series on HDHP/HSA arrangements, and we hope that together these posts will provide a useful overview on implementing an HDHP/HSA arrangement." (Verrill Dana, LLP)
Companies Go to High-Deductible Health Plans
"In plans where deductibles are covered by a health savings or health reimbursement account, workers have to pay an average deductible of $1,908, a 2011 Kaiser survey showed. Traditional health plans, on average, have deductibles well under $1,000." (USATODAY.com)
Surprising Decline in Consumers Seeking Health Information
In 2010, 50 percent of American adults sought information about a personal health concern, down from 56 percent in 2007. Use of print sources -- books, magazines and newspapers -- dropped by nearly half, to 18 percent, accounting for most of the decline. (Center for Studying Health System Change)
Health Plans Must Prepare for Consumer-Oriented Business Model
"Underwriting and risk management -- the traditional competencies of health plans -- won't be nearly as important as consumer-oriented product design, segmentation, and branding. Today, though, 'health plans have little expertise in those areas,' says Howard Lapsley, a partner at Oliver Wyman . . . ." (HealthLeaders Media)
[Guidance Overview] Proskauer ERISA Litigation Newsletter, November 2011
"[W]e review the Department of Labor's decision to re-propose a controversial regulation expanding the definition of an ERISA fiduciary. . . . [Additional commentary addresses] high deductible health plan/health savings account re-design and planning for open enrollment; the constitutionality of the individual mandate under the Affordable Care Act . . . the Supreme Court's Decision in CIGNA Corp. v. Amara . . . and reconciling obligations relating to the production of documents under ERISA ? 104(b)(4) versus the claims regulation . . . ." (Proskauer)
San Francisco Legislators Near Deal With Mayor to Curb Health Reimbursement Arrangements
"[The proposed change] would require funds employers contribute to HRAs to satisfy the health care spending law to be available for 24 months after the contribution. For terminating employees, the account balance would have to be available for 90 days after the employee leaves. . . . [Under current law, employers] can design their HRAs so that unused funds revert to [the employer] at the end of the year." (Business Insurance)
[Guidance Overview] FAQ on HSAs: The Basics of Health Savings Accounts
"HSAs can be confusing, and, many people wonder if this approach to health insurance is good for them. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions . . . ." (Kaiser Health News)
Transparent Cost Network: A Practical Consumer-Driven Health Care Solution
"In no other area of our economy do consumers receive services where they do not know the cost in advance and are not able to make comparisons to alternative suppliers. As a result, healthcare provider costs have remained immune from the economic forces that could control them. This immunity has contributed to greatly increasing provider costs, a major component in today's rising healthcare costs." (Milliman, Inc.)
High-Deductible Health Plans More Common as Employment-Based Option
"At small companies, the high-deductible option, often served with a tax-preferred savings account, may be the only choice. But larger firms are more likely to offer at least one traditional PPO or HMO plan alongside a high-deductible choice." (NPR)
Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Likely to Continue Current Course in the Near Term
"Large, private-sector employers in virtually all 12 communities [studied for the report] are likely to continue shifting costs to employees by adopting benefit designs that accommodate greater cost sharing. As part of this strategy, consumer-driven health plans are likely to become the only health benefit offered in more instances." (Center for Studying Health System Change)
Consumers May Have More Control over Health Care Costs Than Previously Thought
"The historic RAND Health Insurance Experiment found that patients had little or no control over their health care spending once they began to receive a physician's care, but a new study shows that this has changed for those enrolled in consumer-directed health plans." (RAND Corporation)
How Will PPACA Affect Consumer-Driven Health Care?
"In addition to detailing the PPACA-related changes to HSAs, FSAs and HRAs, [the author] includes updates on deductibles, out-of-pocket costs and tax-related information." (Council for Affordable Health Insurance)
Health Savings Accounts Lucrative for Insurers, Costly for Consumers
"America's Health Insurance Plans . . . warned in a recent report that the rapid growth of HSAs will be hurt unless Congress exempts them from the 80 percent requirement ? or abolishes the threshold altogether. HSAs are available only to people enrolled in high-deductible plans. They are also exceedingly profitable for insurers." (TucsonSentinel.com)
Orange County, Florida, Delivers Benefits Messages About Its Consumer-Driven Health Plan to Employees on TV Channel
"[T]he county developed an hour-long video to walk employees through [implementation of the new health plan design] . . . [and] worked with Orange TV, the county's 24-hour access channel that offers programming produced by city, county, state and federal agencies and their employees." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)
January 2011 Census Shows 11.4 Million People Covered by Health Savings Account/High-Deductible Health Plans (HSA/HDHPs) (PDF)
"[E]nrollment in HSA/HDHP coverage in the group market rose to 9.1 million in January 2011, up from 8.0 million in January 2010." (America's Health Insurance Plans)
[Guidance Overview] 2012 Minimums and Maximums for Health Savings Accounts and High-Deductible Health Plans
"The IRS calculates the annual adjustments using the 12-month period ending March 31." (The Segal Group, Inc.)
Why Some Workplace Clinics Charge Different Rates for Identical Services
"Some employers have concluded that employees enrolled in high-deductible health plans that are linked to a health savings account can't be given the same price break on workplace clinic services that their coworkers in regular PPOs and HMOs receive. Unless they charge workers in high-deductible plans the full market value of services, these employers worry, they risk running afoul of IRS rules." (NPR)
Characteristics of the CDHP Population, 2005?2010 (PDF)
"This article examines the population with a consumer-driven health plan(CDHP) and how it differs from the population with traditional health coverage." (Employee Benefit Research Institute)
Program Perspectives on High Deductible Health Plans (PDF)
"This issue of Program Perspectives highlights HDHP data for private industry workers, including participation and comparisons between deductibles for traditional plans and HDHPs." (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Consumer-Directed Health Care: The Employer Perspective (PDF)
"This Critical Issue Update identifies changes in plan design since CDHPs were first introduced." (National Business Group on Health)
Increased CDHP Use not Likely to Have Adverse Effects
"According to the study report, 'How Do Consumer-Directed Health Plans Affect Vulnerable Populations?,' published in the Forum for Health Economics & Policy, these effects include significant reductions in overall spending that increase with the level of the deductible . . . ." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)
High Deductible Health Care Coverage: Snapshot of Some Mixed Evidence
"The large body of evidence examining the various components of CDHPs1 may help inform policymakers who are exploring the advantages and disadvantages of offering high deductible plans within states' health insurance exchanges. While HDHPs are structured in such a way to promote cost savings and protect against the financial burden of a catastrophic medical event, the evidence on the success of these goals is mixed." (Changes in Health Care Financing & Organization Initiative)
High-Deductible Health Plans Cut Spending but Also Reduce Preventive Care
"Interestingly, the drop in preventive care occurred even though high-deductible plans waive the deductible for such care." (RAND)
[Opinion] High-Deductible Plans: When Spending Less on Health Care Isn't Always Better
"[R]edesigning insurance in a way that actually lowers spending and, by the way, promotes good health, is a lot more complicated than merely giving people 'more skin in the game,' as conservatives like to put it. A new study by researchers affiliated with the Rand Institute suggests why." (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
Health Care Spending and Preventive Care in High-Deductible and Consumer-Directed Health Plans
"The HDHPs or CDHPs with at least a $1000 deductible significantly reduced healthcare spending, but they also reduced the use of preventive care in the first year. This merits additional study because of concerns about enrollee health." (HCPLive; free registration required)
Employer and Worker Contributions to Account-Based Health Plans, 2006?2010 (PDF)
"In 2008, 37 percent of workers reported an employer contribution of $1,000 or more. By 2010, it was down to 28 percent." (Employee Benefit Research Institute)
Mercer Predicts HSA and High-Deductible Plan Limits Will Go Up
"The predicted change for HSA contributions is 1.6 percent for both individuals ($3,100 in 2012 vs. $3,050 in 2011) and family coverage ($6,250 in 2012 vs. $6,150 in 2011). For high-deductible health plans, Mercer anticipates the out-of-pocket maximum will jump 1.7 percent for both individuals ($6,050 in 2012 vs. $5,950 in 2011) and family coverage ($12,100 in 2012 vs. $11,900 in 2011)." (Workplace Management: free registration required)
A Common-Sense, Six-Step Approach to Launching a New Benefits Program
"For once, we weren't trying to innovate, iterate or invest in something new. We simply wanted to successfully launch a consumer-driven health plan. We thought it would be easy . . . ." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)
Newly Introduced Bill Would Repeal Limits on FSAs, HSAs
"The measure repeals the cap on $2,500 cap on [FSA] contributions, and repeals the provision that requires patients using [HSAs] or FSAs to have a prescription from their doctor before they purchase over-the-counter medication." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)
[Guidance Overview] New Guidance Permits Use of Debit Cards to Buy OTC Drugs after January 15
Excerpt: "Notice 2011-5 . . . modifies the government's earlier position and allows health FSA and HRA debit cards to be used after January 15, 2011 to purchase prescribed OTC drugs or medicines if certain requirements are met. The [following] purchases can made by debit card, and considered fully substantiated at the point-of-sale: . . . " (Deloitte via BenefitsLink.com)
Employer Provision of Medical Cost and Quality Information to Enable Informed Decisions
Excerpt: "[A] shift is occurring and transparency in health costs and quality are becoming available, primarily due to the increasing popularity of consumer-directed health plans and high-deductible health plans. These plans put more responsibility for healthcare management in the hands of the insured employees.' (Human Resource Executive Online)
Findings from the 2010 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey (PDF)
44 pages. Excerpt: "[Consumer-driven health plan] enrollees were more likely than traditional plan enrollees to report that they had the opportunity to fill out a health risk assessment, and equally likely to report that they had access to a health promotion program." (Employee Benefit Research Institute)
Large Employers Said to Comprise Fastest-Growing Market for High-Deductible/HSA Plans
Excerpt: "According to a survey by [America's Health Insurance Plans], the number of large employers offering these plans increased by 33 percent between January 2009 and January 2010." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
Consumer Driven Health Plan Growth Slows as Enrollments Decline
Excerpt: "[Consumer driven health plans] no longer cover more employees (12.4%) than HMO plans (15.4%) . . . ." (Wolters Kluwer)
Enrollees in High-Deductible Plans May Be Forgoing Care Because of High Costs
Excerpt: "The report adds that 'studies have shown that significant cost sharing may create disincentives for both necessary and unnecessary care. While individuals with high-deductible plans may be less likely to use the emergency room for care, they may also delay necessary treatment or doctor visits'" (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
Consumer-Driven Health Care: What Is It, and What Does It Mean for Employees and Employers?
Excerpt: "Some employers are considering the switch to consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) in order to reduce the cost of providing health insurance benefits to their employees. Because CDHPs generally have lower premiums, they might be a popular choice for some employees." (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Study Suggests CDHP Participants Spend Less on Overall Medical Services
Excerpt: "CIGNA's most recent multi-year study to track the experience of customers in its Choice Fund consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) demonstrates that, when compared to customers in traditional plans, customers in CDHPs spend less on overall medical services." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
[Guidance Overview] IRS Issues Guidance on Over-the-Counter Medicines And Drugs
Excerpt: "The IRS guidance, which includes Notice 2010-59, Revenue Ruling 2010-23, and questions and answers on the IRS website, establishes a rule concerning what it means for an over-the-counter medicine or drug to be 'prescribed,' sets forth new rules concerning the use of debit cards for over-the-counter medicines and drugs after the effective date of the rule, provides a transition rule for any needed cafeteria plan amendments, and discusses when these new rules are effective." (Groom Law Group)
Medical Tourism: Deal-Seekers Flock to Mexico for Medical Care
Excerpt: "As the tenacious recession leaves more Americans without jobs -- or working for employers who can no longer afford to provide insurance -- adding a medical procedure to the vacation itinerary looks increasingly attractive." (San Francisco Chronicle)
High-Deductible Plans Grow, but Not Everyone Should Get on Board
Excerpt: "In exchange for picking up a larger share of their own health care costs, employees pay lower insurance premiums and are allowed to use pretax dollars to pay out-of-pocket costs. But many consumers embracing the plans have discovered there are pitfalls aplenty, including out-of-pocket expenses they cannot afford." (New York Times; free registration required)
Health Reform Could Accelerate Shift to High-Deductible Plans
Excerpt: "[T]he myriad ways in which these high-deductible plans can be structured likely leave them well situated in the post-reform world, benefits consultants say. Along with the plans' flexible design, they also cite other reform-related changes as being influential, such as the new limitations on another type of account, the flexible spending account." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
High-Deductible Health-Insurance Plans Grow More Attractive to Employers
Excerpt: "High-deductible health plans and the health savings accounts (HSAs) that link to them are becoming a familiar fixture on the insurance landscape, even though they get mixed reviews from many consumers and health-policy experts." (The Washington Post; free registration required)
[Guidance Overview] 2011 Minimums and Maximums for Health Savings Accounts Plans and High-Deductible Health Plans Unchanged from 2010
Excerpt: "As in 2009 and 2010, individuals age 55 or over can contribute an additional $1,000 to their HSAs in 2011 and subsequent years." (The Segal Group, Inc.)
Health Savings Accounts and Health Reimbursement Arrangements: Assets, Account Balances, and Rollovers, 2006?2009 (PDF)
32 pages. Excerpt: "ASSET LEVELS GROWING: In 2009, there was $7.1 billion in consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs), which include health savings accounts (or HSAs) and health reimbursement arrangements (or HRAs), spread across 5 million accounts. This is up from 2006, when there were 1.2 million accounts with $835.4 million in assets, and 2008, when 4.2 million accounts held $5.7 billion in assets." (Employee Benefit Research Institute)
[Guidance Overview] The 2011 Limits for Health Savings Accounts and High-Deductible Health Plans (PDF)
Excerpt: "In Revenue Procedure 2010-22, the IRS provides the inflation-adjusted HSA contribution and HDHP minimum deductible and out-of-pocket limits for 2011. Under the cost-of-living adjustment and rounding rules of Internal Revenue Code Section 223, the 2011 amounts are unchanged from the amounts for 2010." (Buck Consultants)
Health Savings Account/High-Deductible Health Plans Coverage Survey Report (PDF)
Excerpt: "The number of people with HSA/HDHP coverage rose to 10 million in January 2010, up from 8 million in January 2009, and 6.1 million in January 2008. Between January 2009 and January 2010, the fastest growing market for HSA/HDHP products was large-group coverage, which rose by 33 percent, followed by small-group coverage, which grew by 22 percent." (America's Health Insurance Plans)
Health Savings Account/High-Deductible Health Plans Enrollment: Supplement to Report (PDF)
5 pages of slides. (America's Health Insurance Plans)
Employers Offer Decision Support and Incentives to Encourage Consumer-Driven Health Plan Use, According to Survey
Excerpt: "The survey found about half of small and mid-sized organizations and close to two-thirds of large organizations have adopted at least one CDHP or high-deductible health plans (HDHP). More than three-quarters (76%) of large employers (>5,000 employees) offer decision support tools to CDHP participants, and another 3% plan to do so within the next 12 months." (PLANSPONSOR.com)
Small Employers Lead Consumer-Directed Health Plan Adoption in 2009 (PDF)
2 pages. Excerpt: "Small employers were the major driver for the rise in CDHP enrollment in 2009, from 9% in 2008 to 15% in 2009. This increase was a direct result of smaller employees utilizing the cost savings inherent inCDHPs to reduce their overall health care costs." (American Association of Preferred Provider Organizations)
Study of CDHP Participants Shows Cost Savings and Greater Engagement
Excerpt: "Aetna members enrolled in a health savings account had more than 15% lower primary care physician use for non-routine visits, and more than 10 percent lower overall medical costs than members in a PPO plan, according to the insurer's latest annual study of its CDHPs." (Employee Benefit Adviser; free registration required)
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