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Preferred provider organizations (PPOs) continue to be the most widely offered plans, with 79% of employers offering these plans in 2011. Aon Hewitt’s survey of nearly 2,000 U.S. employers representing 20 million U.S. employees and their dependents found 58% of employers offered a CDHP and 38% offered HMO plans. Among employers that offer CDHPs, health savings accounts (HSAs) outpace health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) by two to one (34% versus 18%). However, Aon Hewitt’s survey shows a higher number of employees enrolling in HRAs, with 43% of employees enrolling in HRAs compared with 28% in HSAs. Aon analysts said this reflects the fact that HRA plan designs are popular among large employers embarking on full replacement CDHP strategies, as they offer more design flexibility to the employer than HSA designs. HSAs, on the other hand, are typically offered as one of several plan options available for employees to choose between and therefore generate lower enrollments. Maureen Fay, senior vice president and head of Aon Hewitt’s CDHP working group, said employers are exploring ways to manage health care costs by changing underlying behavior patterns and that CDHPs provide them with a vehicle “for educating and motivating employees to actively engage in understanding and managing their health.”
Preferred provider organizations (PPOs) continue to be the most widely offered plans, with 79% of employers offering these plans in 2011. Aon Hewitt’s survey of nearly 2,000 U.S. employers representing 20 million U.S. employees and their dependents found 58% of employers offered a CDHP and 38% offered HMO plans.
Among employers that offer CDHPs, health savings accounts (HSAs) outpace health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) by two to one (34% versus 18%). However, Aon Hewitt’s survey shows a higher number of employees enrolling in HRAs, with 43% of employees enrolling in HRAs compared with 28% in HSAs.
Aon analysts said this reflects the fact that HRA plan designs are popular among large employers embarking on full replacement CDHP strategies, as they offer more design flexibility to the employer than HSA designs. HSAs, on the other hand, are typically offered as one of several plan options available for employees to choose between and therefore generate lower enrollments.