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Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHPs) in the U.S. experience continued growth albeit at a slower rate according to preliminary results released by United Benefit Advisors (UBA) from their 2010 UBA Health Plan Survey, the nation’s largest health plan benchmarking survey with 17,113 plans from 11,413, employers reporting.

CDHPs grew at a rate of 18.1 percent this past year (about half that of 2009) but no longer cover more employees (12.4 percent) than HMO plans (15.4 percent), according to Keith Patterson, Consultant with Benefit Consulting Services, Inc. The Northeast region of the country had the largest concentration of CDHPs (26.7 percent), followed by the Southeast region (22.9 percent). The average cost increase for all CDHPs at 7.3 percent was slightly lower than that of the average of all plan types, which increased 8.0 this year.

Employers often offset the higher out-of-pocket costs of CDHPs by offering employees a health reimbursement account (HRA) or a health savings account (HSA) and contributing funds. The 2010 UBA Health Plan Survey found the average employer contribution to an HRA was $1,481 (up from $1,310 in 2009) for a single employee and $2,857 for a family (up from $2,502 in 2009).

The trend toward employee empowerment and participation continues in 2010 when it comes to health care according to Patterson. He said that employees are taking more control over health care expenditures by increasing participation in CDHPs, and they are also realizing that there are financial benefits – in addition to health benefits – of participating in wellness programs.

Patterson said that in spite of passage of PPACA health care costs will continue to increase because there has been little coming out of Washington to address the underlying health care issues that can help control costs.

Other key statistics from this year’s Survey results:

• The average increase for all plan types was 8.0 percent.
• PPO plans have nearly two-thirds of all enrolled employees (65.7 percent).
• The average employee contribution for plans with contributions for all plan types is $113 for single and $443 for family.
• More than three-fourths of all wellness plans (77.1 percent) offered a health risk assessment.
• Of all plans in the Northeast, 81.7 percent still have 100 percent coinsurance.
• 52.9 percent of all covered employees also elected to cover their dependents.

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