High-Deductible Health Plans, Pharmacy Benefits & Better Practices

It is the time of year when many employers, insurance companies and health exchanges are finalizing decisions about coverage and benefit options for 2016. Among other coverage trends, more employers are offering consumer-directed health plans (CDHP), which are high-deductible plans offered in combination with an account that enrollees can access to offset the deductible expense. These plans require employees and consumers to pay more out-of-pocket costs before the coverage kicks in, making it more challenging for lower income employees with high health care needs to afford care.

In an interview with the National Pharmaceutical Council, Chuck Reynolds, Area President for Benfield-Gallagher, explains this growing trend toward CDHPs as well as what are considered “better practice” approaches for CDHPs and pharmacy benefits. Last year, NPC and Benfield-Gallagher partnered on research to understand the health and economic impact of good practice models and evidence about higher value approaches to CDHP pharmacy benefit design. Reynolds addresses the findings from this research and its implications for the health care system. 

To learn more, read the NPC/Benfield study, “Consumer-Directed Health Plans: Pharmacy Benefits & “Better Practices.”