Florida Group Health Insurance Blog

While this will not come as any great surprise, it is a bit disheartening given the current state of the U.S. economy. Americans who have health insurance through an employer will likely be taking on more of a financial burden health insurance wise this year.

There aren’t too many workers who passed on taking a closer look at their medical options this year during the annual “open enrollment” period at their companies. Most are now forking over more cash to cover a larger premium, paying higher out-of-pocket expenses and doing more self-care. There are a great number of these employees who have also gone to less expensive “catastrophic” coverage.

The state of the economy has become so desperate that those who still have work are readily accepting fewer benefits and paying lower contributions. This is a radical change in the system because it means employees are giving up HMOs or PPOs that used to provide them nearly unlimited access to physicians, with small co-pays for visits and prescriptions.

In many instances the subtle switch is now to high-deductible health plans with a health savings account or health reimbursement account, otherwise known as HSA

and HRA respectively. In part, this shift of choices on the part of workers is due to what they are being offered by their employers. This year virtually 46 percent made it a point to offer their employees some type of account-based health plan. It’s evident the trend will continue until the situation with the economy is sorted out.

Smart employers are combining things such as an HSA with a high-deductible health policy, in the bid to cut-back on the cost of insurance premiums. By implementing this type of coverage in the workplace, the employer and employees become partners in trying to reduce the costs of medical expenses. It will be interesting to see the long-term results of this new approach to cost effectiveness in managing health expenses.

To learn more about Florida group health insurance, Tampa group health insurance, Sarasota group health insurance, Miami group health insurance, or Orlando group health insurance, visit Grouphealthflorida.com or call 1-800-873-5713.

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Lately there are some interesting statistics being compiled which show that people who are in health plans and have health savings accounts or health reimbursement arrangements are more likely to get preventive care. This is opposed to those who happen to be in a conventional plan instead.

The people who participated in the web survey that offered up these latest figures were in the 21 to 64 year old bracket and privately insured. It appears, on first glance, that the numbers from 2007 indicate 2% enrolled in health account plans, a one percent jump from 2005. However the numbers do seem to be climbing steadily, which is a good sign.

Most conventional plans have an average satisfaction rating of about 64% compared to the health account numbers of roughly 47% expressing satisfaction. The 47% is up from 37% and again, the numbers do appear to be on the increase, albeit slowly. That is not unusual when it comes to something new. People always take time to get used to adjustments in their insurance plans, especially when it is something newer or more innovative.

There is reason to be upbeat about the slowly increasing numbers for another reason, and the reason is that health account plans are being viewed as a vehicle which will assist in keeping down the costs and broadening access to insurance coverage. In this day and age when more Americans need access to the health care system, greater access can only be a good thing.

While it may also be said that these plans are not yet solving the problems they were set up to tackle, the survey results do show (and encouragingly so) that the efforts of high-deductible health account plans, which are offering wellness benefits for a low or no deductible basis, are paying off.

Encouragingly, health account plan participants now seem to be opting for as much preventive care as those in a conventional health plan. In addition, they also seem to be using about the same amount of prescription drugs as those in conventional plans.

Any time that the figures for those seeking preventive health care start to climb, you know there is a major shift of attitude toward wellness going on. The survey figures are beginning to show increases in women going in more frequently for Pap smears, and men and women going for cholesterol testing. Evidently more people are also making regular wellness visits to their doctor’s offices, which can only be viewed as a good thing. Perhaps it’s time to consider a switch to a health account plan. Speak to your local health insurance broker.

To learn more about Florida group health insurance, Tampa group health insurance, Sarasota group health insurance, Miami group health insurance, or Orlando group health insurance, visit Grouphealthflorida.com or call 1-800-873-5713.

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