HSA Plans Save Employers
21% the First Year
By Ryan Ellis
•
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 7:24 pm
A new and interesting study is out by the American Academy of Actuaries which has some interesting findings on cost savings in HSA-style (that is, high deductible health plans with accounts) plans, otherwise known as consumer-driven health (CDH) plans:
With regard to first-year cost savings, all studies showed a favorable effect on cost in the first year of a CDH plan. CDH plan trends ranged from -4 percent to -15 percent. Coupled with a control population on traditional plans that experienced trends of +8 percent to +9 percent, the total savings generated could be as much as 12 percent to 20 percent in the first year. All studies used some variation of normalization or control groups to account for selection bias.
For savings after the first year, at least two of the studies indicate trend rates lower than traditional PPO plans by approximately 3 percent to 5 percent. If these lower trends can be further validated, it will represent a substantial cost-reduction strategy for employers and employees.
Generally, all of the studies indicated that cost savings did not result from avoidance of inappropriate care and that necessary care was received in equal or greater degrees relative to traditional plans. All of the studies reviewed reported a significant increase in preventive services for CDH participants. Three of the studies found that CDH plan participants received recommended care for chronic conditions at the same or higher level than traditional (non-CDH) plan participants. Two studies reported a higher incidence of physicians following evidence-based care protocols.
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