MANAGED CARE September 2010. ©MediMedia USA
Consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs, remember them?) experienced continued but slower growth this year, compared to 2009, according to the 2010 United Benefits Advisors Health Plan Survey. UBA is an alliance of more than 145 independent benefit advisory companies.
UBA reports that CDHPs grew at a rate of 18.1 percent this past year (about half that of 2009), and they no longer cover more employees (12.4 percent) than HMO plans (15.4 percent), according to Bill Stafford, UBA vice president.
CDHPs have their greatest concentration in the Northeast (26.7 percent), followed by the Southeast (22.9 percent). The average cost increase for all CDHPs, 7.3 percent, was slightly lower than that of the average of all plan types, which increased 8 percent this year.