Title: CDH - BCBSD Internal Training
1 Consumer-Directed Health Plans
BlueAdvantage A Presentation to the
Delaware Health Care Commission Tim
Constantine March 3, 2005
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware and CareFirst,
Inc., are independent licensees of the Blue Cross
and Blue Shield Association, an association of
independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.
2Background
- Health care costs are projected to increase 14
annually - Employers will absorb 9 and pass the rest on
- Employee contributions will triple unless
affirmative steps are taken to curb these
increases - Employers are confronted by a weakened economy
and significant health care cost increases - Intense competition in many industries makes it
difficult to pass cost increases along to
customers - As a result, a greater portion of premium costs
are being shifted to employees
3Background
Health plans have been increasing premiums in
response to rising health care costs. Annual
health insurance premium increases are
dramatically outpacing earnings growth for the
average U.S. worker. These expenses are expected
to nearly double by 2010.
Increases in Premiums vs. Other Indicators
Source The Wall Street Journal, June 21, 2004,
Kaiser/HRET Survey of Employer Sponsored Health
Benefits
4Potential Solution - CDHPs
Employee Advantages
Employer Advantages
- Empowers employees with more control over health
spending and health decisions - Preventive coverage
- Easy access to health care decision tools
- Possible roll-over of unspent funds
- Ongoing education helps promote appropriate use
of consumer-directed health funds
- Friendlier way of cost shifting
- Provides a mechanism for more prudent purchasing
decisions by employees - Helps to stabilize medical spending
- Higher employee satisfaction with self-service
features - Continued education helps keep employees
involved, informed and motivated
5CDHPs
- Primary driver behind consumer-directed health
plans (CDHP) is the premium savings, - through plan design change, which is shared with
employees - in part or in full. - Example ABC Corp. 260 Employees (HSA)
- Current Plan Annual Premium 1,819,980
- Proposed High Ded. Plan Premium 1,301,784
- (HSA 100/80 PPO, 1,000/2,000 Ded.)
- Savings through Plan Design Change Alone
518,196 - HSA Funding by ABC Corp (50 of Ded.)
- - Individual (188 employees x 500)
94,000 - - Family or 2-party (72 employees x 1,000)
72,000 - Total HSA Funding 166,000
-
- ABC Corps Savings after HSA funds have
- been fully distributed (477,384 - 166,000)
352,196
6Components of CDHPs
Health Care Accounts
Health Insurance Coverage
Online Tools and Resources
HSA Health Savings Account HRA Health
Reimbursement Arrangement
7BlueAdvantage CDHP
- BlueAdvantage Plans
- Based on popular PPO, EPO and prescription drug
plans - Offered with either a health savings account
(HSA) or a health reimbursement account (HRA)
option - Freedom to choose in-network doctors without a
referral - Product designs include preventive health
benefits such as - Routine physicals
- GYN exams
- Mammograms
- Well-child care
- Vision and hearing exams
Registered mark of the Blue Cross and Blue
Shield Association
8BlueAdvantage
- Large, national network of providers through
BlueCard - 6,100 hospitals
- 600,000 providers
- Out-of-country coverage in 200 countries
- Options Discount Program
- Discounts on health-related products and services
such as - Acupuncture
- Chiropractic care
- Fitness centers
- Laser vision correction
9HSA - How Does it Work?
PPO Insurance
- HSA Plan Design
- (Example 1,000 deductible PPO plan)
- Can be funded by employer, employee or both
- Employees contribute monies into a tax-sheltered
savings account, using payroll deduction - Employees can pay the provider using a debit card
and receive the Blue discounts (after receiving
providers bill Rx paid at time of service) or
save HSA funds for future use - Once the deductible is met, claims are processed
through the health plan - Unused HSA balances are rolled over from year to
year
High Deductible Health Plan
1,000 Health Savings Account (Tax
Sheltered)
Preventive Coverage - 100 Content, Tools
Care Management Services
1,000 Deductible
10HSA Basics
- Health care account is solely-owned by the
employee - Unused balances roll over to following years
- Accounts are portable always belong to the
member - Tax shelter for qualified medical expenses
- Contributions are tax-free, growth is
tax-deferred and qualified distributions are
tax-free - Needs to conform to IRS guidelines for a
qualified high deductible health plan - Cannot generally be combined with a flexible
spending account (FSA) - Instills employee accountability
- Plan design governed by IRS guidelines and
regulations
11Our BlueAdvantage HSA
- Employer Control
- Once money is given to plan participants, the
employer loses control over their contribution - Employer can make contributions into members HSA
accounts in any number of installments (e.g.,
monthly, quarterly, annually) - Employee Accountability and Control
- Employees maintain control of their HSA funds
from day one - Employees become more educated due to the nature
of HSA concepts and spending accountability - Plan Flexibility
- Deductibles, coinsurance and contribution
parameters are set and monitored by the IRS on an
annual basis - Cannot generally be combined with a FSA
12HSA Account Features
- No application or setup fees
- Low monthly administration fees free for first
three months - Competitive interest rates paid from day one
- Free, no fee AdvantageHSA debit card
- Free initial order of checks
- Online account access through bcbsde.com or
myAdvantageHSA.com - Powered by The Bancorp Bank (Wilmington, DE)
- 24/7 customer service
- Ability to invest balances above 2,500
13Cost Calculator Sample - HSA
14Industry Trends
- 438,000 HSAs established nationwide as of
September 2004 - 346,000 individuals
- 79,000 small businesses
- Small businesses that previously did not offer
health-care coverage purchased 16 of the HSAs in
small group market - Overall, 30 of HSA purchasers previously did not
have health insurance
15BCBSD CDHP Use
- Began selling products January 1, 2005
- To date, 97 HSA accounts (330 members) and 11 HRA
accounts (89 members) have been sold - Most common HSA product is EPO 100 Plan 63
plans sold - HSA products have been sold to medical practices,
attorneys and other small businesses ranging from
1 to 42 employees - 41 of the 108 accounts represent new business
16Website e-Tools
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22Questions?