The study indicated that many employers will cut healthcare cost by increasing cost-sharing. Thirty-five percent of plan sponsors plan to increase employee deductibles, coinsurance or copays, and nearly the same proportion plan to increase employee premiums. Thirteen percent of employers plan to offer a consumer-driven health plans, and 9.6 percent plan to replace other plans with consumer-driven ones.
One-third of plan sponsors indicated an increase in the number of participants filling prescriptions and engaging in costly medical procedures, possibly because participants fear losing benefits if laid off, according to the study.
Read the IFEBP release on the employee healthcare plan study.
