Employers predict growth in HMO enrollment
When it comes to purchasing health care, cost containment is still in but increased choice is even bigger, according to a recent survey by benefits consultants William M. Mercer Inc. Nearly 40% of the 283 employers surveyed say they plan to enroll their workers in an HMO. But as the end of the decade nears, a growing number of employers plan to offer more than one choice of health plans for their employees.
While 22% of the survey respondents currently offer a single type of plan, just 13% expect to do so by the year 2000. More than four-fifths of respondents monitor employees’ satisfaction with health plans. However, only 25% of employers surveyed say they rate the use of Health Employer Data Information Set (HEDIS) data as very or extremely important in selecting and evaluating HMOs.
"There’s a concern that many health plans are unable to report meaningful quality of care data accurately and consistently, and that the HEDIS data currently being reported are biased toward process rather than outcomes, " says Lew Devendor, a Mercer consultant who specializes in managed care. "As more plans are able to access better data, I expect more employers will come to rely on HEDIS."
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