The study revealed an array of trending information among these employers, including:

A strong movement toward offering only a high deductible plan rather than a choice of plans, with 25 percent saying that was the only plan offered this year, and another 37 percent saying they intended to make that shift.
Of the 83 percent that reported offering an HDHP as part of their package, 56 percent included a health savings account and 18 percent included a health reimbursement component.
Strong membership growth occurred among the HDHPs, as the numbers rose by 31 percent year over year compared to 26 percent in the previous study.
Medical plan options grew, from 3.6 plans per employer in the previous survey to 5.7 in the current one.
Employers showed a strong preference for including wellness programs in their health benefits package, although participation rates continue to be unimpressive, at less than 30 percent on average.
Private exchanges remain under scrutiny. While 28 percent said they would consider shifting employees to a private exchange, only 2 percent said they had already done so.

The full report can be found here.

Instant Insights /

Plan redesign leads to greater cost control