The results show “Northeastern plans are much more generous than plans in other regions when it comes to deductibles for single workers and coinsurance rates for plan members who use in-network providers.” As an example “75% of participating Northeastern plans have no deductible for single workers, and about 83% impose no coinsurance charges on workers who use in-network provider.” Sounds like is might be time to move to the Northeast.
Another interesting yet not at all shocking result was the differences in benefits for same-sex domestic partners:
Only 1.7% of participating health plans in the South and Midwest provide same-sex partner benefits, but 23% of plans in the Northeast and 57% of plans in the West do so.
Less than 2 percent of Southern and Midwestern states provide same-sex partner benefits! We are talking about a study that included thousands of health plans not just a handful or even a few hundred. That stat truly boggles the mind and to me is a good indicator of several nations within a nation in terms of cultural and other beliefs.
Here are some more results from this massive study:
- At participating health plans, the average annual cost per employee with medical and drug coverage is $6,629. The average participating employer pays $4,592 per employee, and the average employee pays $2,031.
- Despite accounts of employers shifting costs to employees, 32% of all plans still require no contributions for coverage for the employee, and 8.3% require no contributions for coverage for employees’ families.
- After compensating for plan adjustments, the average premium increase was 5.7% for health savings account and health reimbursement arrangement plans and 8.6% for all plans.
- About 3.4% of employees at participating plans now are in HRA or HSA plans, up from 1.9% in 2005.
- Participating employers contributed an average of $1,033 to HRAs and $938 to HSAs for single employees, and $1,965 to HRAs and $1,533 to HSAs for employees with family coverage.
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