You may be most familiar with traditional health care plans, such as HMO, PPO or POS. These plans typically offer low deductibles, low copayments and little or no out-of-pocket employee costs for network care. You may choose to offer a traditional plan for recruiting or retention purposes or because your employees demand it.
Another option is a consumer-driven health plan, which encourages employees to take more responsibility for their own health care needs. Consider such a plan when:
Health care costs are limiting your company's ability to grow.
You need employees to share more of the costs of health care.
You want to help your employees get access to quality health care.
You want employees to make better decisions about their health.
Consumer-driven plans offer both short- and long-term savings. Flexible benefit designs and an extensive provider network offer savings in the short term. Lower premiums and smarter health care use can lower costs in the long run.
Encourage employees to take responsibility for their health. Consumer-driven health plans usually have high deductibles, which keep your premiums low. They are usually paired with a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) to defray health care costs.
Studies show that employees with consumer-driven health plans use their health care resources more judiciously. Studies show:
Up to a 22 percent decrease in hospitalizations1
Up to 14 percent decrease in emergency room visits1
A 40 percent reduction in surgery costs2
You save through lower premium rates, while helping to protect your employees from excessive medical expenses. These plans usually provide employees with wellness incentives to lead healthy lifestyles, lowering medical costs even further.
Here’s how we can help. Our consumer-driven health plans serve more consumers than the next three most-popular carriers combined.
So whether you choose a consumer-driven health plan or a traditional one, we can help you tailor it to meet your unique business needs and budget.
Analysis of UnitedHealthcare customers who were offered both a Definity consumer-driven health plan with activation services alongside a PPO option plan from 2003 to 2005.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2006, 354 (11), 1147-1156.
