Health Plan Selection in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

This paper examines factors associated with switching health plans in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Switching plans is not uncommon, with 12% of members switching plans annually. Individuals switch out of plans with premium increases and benefit decreases relative to other plans in the market. Switching is negatively associated with age due to increasing switching costs associated with age rather than decreasing premium sensitivity. Individuals in preferred provider organizations are less likely to switch, but are more responsive to premium increases than those in the managed care sector. Those who do switch plans are likely to switch to a different plan in the same sector.

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How Does The Employer Contribution For The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Influence Plan Selection?

Health Affairs ◽

10.1377/hlthaff.22.2.211 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 211-218 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Curtis S. Florence ◽

Kenneth E. Thorpe

Keyword(s):

Health Benefits ◽

Federal Employees ◽

Plan Selection ◽

Employer Contribution

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Labor Market Concentration and Worker Contributions to Health Insurance Premiums

Medical Care Research and Review ◽

10.1177/10775587211012992 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 107755872110129

Author(s):

Mark K. Meiselbach ◽

Matthew D. Eisenberg ◽

Ge Bai ◽

Aditi Sen ◽

Gerard F. Anderson

Keyword(s):

Labor Market ◽

Health Insurance ◽

Labor Markets ◽

Health Plan ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Market Concentration ◽

Medical Expenditure ◽

Insurance Premiums ◽

Health Insurance Premiums

In concentrated labor markets, where workers have fewer employers to choose from, employers may exploit their monopsony power by contributing less to workers’ health benefits. This study examined if labor market concentration was associated with higher worker contributions to health plan premiums. We combined publicly available data from the Census to calculate labor market concentration and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Insurance/Employer Component to determine premium contributions from 2010 to 2016 for metropolitan areas. After controlling for year fixed-effects and market characteristics, we found that higher labor market concentration was associated with higher worker contributions to health plan premiums, lower take-home income, and no change in employer contributions to premiums, consistent with the hypothesis that greater labor market concentration is associated with less generous health benefits. When evaluating the effects of mergers and acquisitions on labor markets, regulatory agencies should critically assess worker contributions to health insurance premiums.

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Survey of Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) Members, 1994: [United States]

ICPSR Data Holdings ◽

10.3886/icpsr06458.v1 ◽

1995 ◽

Author(s):

Robert M. Krughoff ◽

Paul Kallaur

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Federal Employees ◽

Benefits Plan

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Business Reengineering at a Large Government Agency

Cases on Information Technology Series - Cases on Information Technology and Business Process Reengineering ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-396-0.ch004 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 51-77

Author(s):

Nina McGarry ◽

Tom Beckman

Keyword(s):

Health Benefits ◽

Open Enrollment ◽

Family Health ◽

Government Agency ◽

Health Coverage ◽

Governmental Agency ◽

Retirement Accounts ◽

Plan Selection

This case describes the difficulties and successes encountered in a reengineering effort. A team of consultants undertook reengineering the delivery of compensation and benefits at a large quasi-governmental agency. Benefits included six programs which accounted for several time-intensive processes such as “cafeteria plan” options for individual and family health coverage, a health benefits open enrollment period where information is dispersed to assist employees in plan selection; thrift spending account; and retirement accounts.

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Increasing Health Insurance Coverage through an Extended Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

INQUIRY The Journal of Health Care Organization Provision and Financing ◽

10.5034/inquiryjrnl_38.2.177 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 38 (2) ◽

pp. 177-192 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Beth C. Fuchs

Keyword(s):

Health Insurance ◽

High Risk ◽

Small Firms ◽

Insurance Coverage ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Health Insurance Coverage ◽

Tax Credits ◽

Federal Employees ◽

Public Programs ◽

The Cost

The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) could be combined with health insurance tax credits to extend coverage to the uninsured. An extended FEHBP, or “E-FEHBP,” would be open to all individuals who were not covered through work or public programs and who also were eligible for the tax credits on the basis of income. E-FEHBP also would be open to employees of very small firms, regardless of their eligibility for tax credits. Most plans available to FEHBP participants would be required to offer enrollment to E-FEHBP participants, although premiums would be rated separately. High-risk individuals would be diverted to a separate high-risk pool, the cost of which would be subsidized by the federal government. E-FEHBP would be administered by the states, or if a state declined, by an entity that contracted with the Office of Personnel Management. While E-FEHBP would provide group insurance to people who otherwise could not get it, premiums could exceed the tax-credit amount and some people still might find the coverage unaffordable.

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