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Consumer Directed Health Plans The Employer Perspective. December 6, 2006. CDHP - The Comprehensive Physical Exam. CDHP – Employee Acceptance. Many employees view CDHP as just another cost shift
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Consumer Directed Health PlansThe Employer Perspective December 6, 2006
CDHP – Employee Acceptance • Many employees view CDHP as just another cost shift • Many employees and dependents view company funding of the Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) as “free” • Over time the company funded HRA becomes an entitlement • Low participation in the employee funded Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
CDHP – Management Acceptance • Optimism regarding the potential cost savings for employees and for the company • Complexity of plan design and administration • Recognized need for increase in plan communications and education
CDHP – Benefit to Employees • First dollar coverage for healthy employees • First dollar coverage for preventative • Opportunity for tax deferral protection through deductible • Consumer choice to buy up or down for Rx • Consumer choice to either spend or save roll-over HRA dollars
CDHP – Benefit to ConAgra • Employee pay-all for the FSA “hole” should reduce plan costs • Employees have opportunity to choose prescription drugs that cost both the company and the employee less • Company has a “teachable moment” for the establishment of future consumer based plan design changes
CDHP - Communications • Complex plan design and HRA/FSA administrative issues require additional communication creativity, time and cost • Communications should facilitate the shift of ownership from the paternal company to the empowered consumer • Education must include back to basic vocabulary • HR professionals and vendors must simplify
CDHP – Example of Rx Complexity • Preferred • Non-preferred • Generic (Mandated or Mem Pay Difference) • Formulary (Subject to Step?) • Branded • Specialty (Require mail order?) • Life Style • Step Program (Physician approval?) • Multi-source
CDHP - Challenges • Address employee’s lack of trust • Simplify plan documents and communications • Simplify or clearly define vocabulary • Minimize the number of cards, forms and contact points • Maximize the preventative, utilization review, and disease management elements of the plan • Optimize the communication tools associated with the consumer directed plans
CDHP - Validation • Benchmark to Industry and Geography • Focus on wellness, not sickness • Provide decision tools for plan participants • Provide access to HRA, FSA and/or HSA balance information • Model competing plan designs against the consumer driven model • Assure that employees really do have the knowledge and tools to make consumer decisions
CDHP Questions or Discussion?