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Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
While growth in the number of small and midsize employers offering consumer-driven health care plans slowed somewhat this year, more employees are enrolling in the plans, concluded a survey released Tuesday.
However, the rate of increase in the cost of CDHPs was almost on par with the average of all types of group health plans last year, according to preliminary findings of the 2011 UBA Health Plan Survey.
The survey, which included data on benefit plans sponsored by 10,744 employers, 97.8% of which have fewer than 1,000 employees, is conducted annually by Indianapolis-based United Benefits Advisors L.L.C., a member-owned alliance of more than 140 independent benefit advisory firms in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.
Some 22.9% of small and midsize employers nationwide offered CDHPs this year, up from 20.1% in 2010; at the same time, 17.3% of their employees enrolled in the plans this year compared with 12.4% last year, said William Stafford, vp of member services at UBA.
Meanwhile, enrollment in health maintenance organizations declined to 11.9% this year from 15.4% last year, he said.
PPOs still No. 1
Preferred provider organizations continue to be the most popular type of plan, with 64.4% of group benefit enrollees, down from 65.7% in 2010.
The average cost increase for all CDHPs was 8.0% for 2011, slightly lower than the average of all plan types, which increased 8.2% this year, UBA found. The average increase across all plans was 8% in 2010 and 7.3% in 2009.
“As these plans become more prevalent, the percentage of savings has continually declined,” Mr. Stafford said of the increase for CDHPs.
The survey will be available publicly Nov. 1.
For in-depth coverage of this topic and related issues, visit our Solution Arc on Self-Insuring Health Care Benefits.