Consumer-directed health plans and self-insured plans gained in popularity during the first half of this year, according to a new study by managed care research firm HealthLeaders-InterStudy. With medical costs growing, employers are increasingly willing to assume the risk of self-insurance, while pawning off as much risk as possible on employees as well, researchers said.
From January 2008 to July 2008, self-insured medical plan enrollment grew by 1.6 million, or 2.2 percent, to hit more than 75.3 million members nationwide, the research firm said. In the past, only smaller companies self-insured, but now, employers with as few as 200 employees are trying out such plans, HealthLeaders-InterStudy found.
Meanwhile, during the same period, national enrollment in consumer-driven heath plans increased by almost 900,000 lives to more than 6 million, researchers said.
To learn more about the study:
- read this Healthcare Finance News article
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