A report by Zywave’s revealed the top strategies that employers used to manage health benefit costs in 2012:
• While PPO remains the most prevalent plan type (43% of all known plans), there was a 5% increase in HSA plan types – from 16% to 21% of plans. This represents a common cost-control strategy as more employers shift to a consumer-driven model.
• The highest individual deductible option ($2,500) saw a significant increase over the past year, rising 7% in popularity. This supports the growth in HSA plan types, as HSAs must be accompanied by a high-deductible health plan. It also illustrates another employer cost-shifting strategy.
• The most common range for out-of-pocket costs stayed the same from 2011 to 2012, in the $2,500-$3,499 category. However, there was a noticeable shift toward higher out-of-pocket maximums across the board.
• Another cost-cutting strategy was to increase the prescription drug deductible.
• Though Rx deductibles under $50 remained the most common, the Rx deductibles over $250 now represent 25% of all plans – up 5% from 2011.
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