Most health plan sponsors are not making major changes to their employee coverage for 2015. However, employees can expect to see continued implementation of changes that have been made incrementally for the past several years.
Those are the primary findings from "What to Expect During Open Enrollment Season," which is part of the recent health benefits survey conducted by Employee Benefit Research Institute.
"Employers may be waiting for evidence from early adopters before making untested changes," said Paul Fronstin of EBRI. "The exception appears to be that a relatively large number of employers continue to introduce wellness rewards and penalties."
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Significantly, only 1 percent of plan sponsors said they expect to eliminate health benefits in 2015. And few employers are planning to make changes to eligibility for spousal coverage and part-time worker benefits.
The annual survey also found that only a small number of employers are moving toward tiered networks, private health insurance exchanges, value-based insurance design and reference pricing. However, concerns about the excise tax on high-cost health plans ultimately may result in accelerated adoption of tiered networks, private exchanges, value-based insurance design and reference pricing.
The big change is in wellness, as the survey found a relatively large number of employers continue to introduce wellness rewards and penalties, possibly because of the combination of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act-allowed higher financial incentives and the 2018 excise tax on high-cost health plans.
Employers also may be focusing on wellness programs because of the link to worker risks and behaviors, which drive chronic conditions and account for a large percentage of overall health spending.
Employers are keeping a close eye on industry trends this year in expectation of future changes, Fronstin said.
"This year, there seems to be increased anticipation of changes that will take place to health benefits in 2015 as a result of the second open-enrollment season for public exchanges, as well as continued implementation of the ACA," he said. "Plan sponsors are also already making changes in anticipation of the 2018 excise tax on high-cost health plans, the so-called Cadillac-tax provision of the ACA.
"While only about one-half of workers with a health plan have a choice of health plans, approximately 169 million individuals of all ages get coverage through the workplace and may see changes to their benefits in 2015."
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Alan Goforth
Alan Goforth is a freelance writer in suburban Kansas City. In addition to freelancing for several publications, he has written a dozen books about sports and other topics.
