According to a new report by the nonprofit Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), satisfaction levels have been trending up among Consumer Directed Health Plans (CDHP) enrollees, and trending down among traditional-plan enrollees.  In particular, satisfaction rates for out-of-pocket costs appear to be trending downward among those with traditional coverage and upward for those with consumer-driven plans, according to the report.

CDHPs typically combine high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) with a tax-exempt health savings account (HSA) or health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) to help enrollees pay for out-of-pocket expenses.  To provide employees with incentives to make cost-conscious decisions when selecting health care services and to limit unnecessary health care spending, the adoption rate of CDHPs over the past decade by employers has been growing.

EBRI’s study included individuals with a CDHP or HDHP that had deductibles of at least $1,000 for individual coverage or $2,000 for family coverage in addition to an HSA or HRA with a rollover provision they could use to pay for medical expenses.

Key findings include the following:

• Satisfaction rates among CDHP enrollees increased from 43 percent to 46 percent between 2010 and 2011.
• Satisfaction rates among traditional enrollees decreased from 66 percent to 57 percent between 2009 and 2011.
• Satisfaction rates appear to be trending downward among those with traditional coverage and upward for those with a CDHP.
• CDHP enrollees were more likely than traditional-plan enrollees to be extremely or very satisfied with their ability to get doctor appointments.  In the 2011 study, 73 percent of CDHP enrollees were extremely or very satisfied with their ability to get doctor appointments, compared with 68 percent of traditional-plan enrollees.

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DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, and based on particular situations, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice, financial advice and/or the advice of a licensed insurance or certified human resource professional.

© Connelly, Carlisle, Fields & Nichols 2012