Marketwatch reports that “Two out of three adults would rather have their employer pick a set of health plans than be given an employer-funded account so they can go out and buy it for themselves on the individual market.”
My company provides several options for health coverage, but the selection is getting more complicated next year. In 2006, the company will offer one point-of-service plan (provided by CIGNA, one national HMO plan (provided by Aetna, a consumer-directed health program with a health fund, a high-deductible health program with a health savings account, local HMOs, and an out-of-area medical program.
This year and in past years, the company has offered a “flex credit” to cover most of the health insurance expenses deducted from the paycheck, but this will no longer be offered in 2006. The cost of the programs have been lowered to compensate for the lack of reimbursement, but the 2006 plans still end up being more expensive.
I’m probably going to stick wih the national HMO plan ($552 per year). It’s not as cheap as the high-deductibe program ($132 per year) and only slightly more expensive than the consumer directed health program ($444 per year). Open enrollment begins later this month.
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