More Companies Offer Consumer-Driven Health Plans
A greater number of companies offered consumer-driven health plans this year, but a majority remain uncertain about whether the plans will reduce costs, according to a survey released on Tuesday by Aon Consulting and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists, the AP/Los Angeles Times reports. Responses from 434 companies were included.
According to the survey, 28% of respondents said that they offered consumer-driven health plans this year, compared with 22% in 2005. In addition, among companies that did not offer consumer-driven health plans this year, 40% said that they planned to offer the plans in the future, the study finds.
However, 30% of respondents said that consumer-driven health plans likely will not reduce costs, and 31% said that they remain uncertain, according to the study. About 48% of respondents said that consumer-driven health plans will make employees more efficient purchasers of health care, and one-fourth said that the plans would make employees less likely to seek necessary care, the study finds (AP/Los Angeles Times, 6/28).