At 91 percent, the most widely used health plan type this year in Michigan is a Preferred Provider Organization, which offers employees greater provider options, while 33 percent of companies provide a Health Maintenance Organization plan, says a new survey from the Livonia-based nonprofit American Society of Employers.
The society’s 2016 Healthcare Insurance Benefits Survey focuses on the premiums, deductibles, and copays of Michigan employer-sponsored health plans as well as wellness benefit offerings.
Nearly 230 organizations from across Michigan participated in the survey. Manufacturing or goods producing organizations represented 51 percent of the survey sample, and trades and service organizations represented 49 percent.
“Healthcare remains a substantial investment for both employers and employees,” says Mary E. Corrado, president and CEO of the ASE. “Employers are adjusting their health plans and associated premium, co-pay, and deductible expenses in a manner that ensures affordability for both the employer and the employee.”
According to the survey, in 2016, the median in-network PPO plan deductible (in high deductible plans) for employee-only coverage in non-unionized companies was $1,875, up from $1,750 in 2015. Median deductibles for employee with family coverage increased to $3,750. Changes in health deductibles among traditional plans — those without high deductibles — were mixed.
In-network deductibles among traditional PPO plans decreased between $100 and $200 for employee-only and employee plus family coverage, respectively. However, among HMO plans, the median deductibles increased $250 for employee-only coverage and $500 for employee plus family coverage.
Among non-union firms, the average employer premium percentage for employee only and employee plus family coverage for consumer-driven health plans, which typically combine high-deductible health insurance with tax-advantaged accounts, was 80 percent, down slightly from 82 percent in 2015. For traditional PPO plans, the median employer premium for both union and non-union organizations was consistent with 2015 at 82 percent. For traditional PPO plans, the median employer premium for both union and non-union organizations was maintained at 80 percent.
