Medication Management

Consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs), designed to encourage employees to make more cost- and health-conscious decisions, have been shown to reduce the long-term use of outpatient physician visits and prescription drugs, according to new research by the nonprofit Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). Although that may save the consumer and the health plan sponsor money in the short-run, skipping preventative services can lead to more expensive treatments, including high-cost emergency room services, for many conditions.

Satisfaction levels are rising among Americans enrolled in consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs), while they are declining among those in traditional health plans, according to a new report by the nonprofit Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI).

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.

A majority of U.S. employers (71%) spent 16% or more of their total health care budget on pharmacy benefits, according to a nationwide survey by Buck Consultants.

More than 250 organizations participated in the firm’s latest Prescription Drug Benefit Survey, representing a broad range of industries and more than 3.9 million covered individuals. The survey was fielded in the first quarter of 2013.

Employees who are covered under Lowe’s health plan can travel to Cleveland Clinic for most...

Annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage reached $15,745 in 2012, up 4% from 2011, with workers on average paying $4,316 toward the cost of their coverage, according to the not-for profit Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET)'s 2012 Employer Health Benefits Survey report.

Premiums for worker-only health coverage increased 3% in 2012 to reach $5,615 annually. Workers on average pay $951 toward this coverage.