Aetna Releases New HealthFund (AHF) Study

Strong 2009 results illustrate Aetna HealthFund as a proven solution  
As health care costs continue to rise, employers are struggling to find ways to control the rising cost of covering their employees.

Aetna's seventh annual Aetna HealthFund Study results clearly illustrate that Aetna can help your customers achieve this goal.  In the industry’s longest running consumer-directed health plan study, Aetna HealthFund products are delivering on the promise of consumerism. 

Key findings include:

• Aetna HealthFund continues to realize long-term trend reductions and medical cost savings.
• Plan design is a primary driver of results.
• Aetna HealthFund members are getting the care they need.
• Aetna HealthFund members are more informed and engaged health care consumers.
• HSA members show the most dramatic results.

Savings at a glance:

• For full replacement HRA and HSA plans, employers saved $2.15 million per 1,000 members over 5 years – up $3.5 million from last year.
• Employers who offered the HRA or HSA as an option experienced savings of $900,000 per 1,000 members over 5 years for the entire case, not just those employees who enrolled in an AHF plan.

What’s new this year
This year’s study revealed the key role plan design plays in driving results. 

For example, plans with a deductible range of $1,500 or more experienced a 4.4% lower cost trend, when compared plans with a deductible of $999 or less.

Additionally, customers with coinsurance of 90% or more experience trends as much as 5% higher than those with lower coinsurance.

Another key finding: AHF members, even those in lower income households, still get the care they need and experience cost savings when compared to PPO households.  This result helps address concerns that consumer-directed health plans disadvantage low income households.

Encouraging a more thoughtful health care consumer
Study results show that AHF members are incurring lower medical costs while spending more on preventive care. 

Compared to PPO members, their total medical costs are lower:

• 7% lower medical cost trend
• 14% savings on pharmacy costs

But beyond these statistics, Aetna is seeing a more thoughtful approach to how these members seek care.  For example, these members:

• Seek routine care 11% more than PPO members
• Have 10% lower non-routine PPO visits
• Visit the ER for non-urgent care 5% less often

HSA members show the most dramatic results
Medical costs for HSA members were more than 9% lower than for PPO members. 

HSA members realized the greatest reduction in PCP non-routine visits, and non-urgent ER visits.

• Non-routine PCP visits were more than 15% lower than PPO. 
• Non-urgent ER visits were more than 20% lower than PPO.

HSA members are also more engaged in their health.  When compared to PPO members, they:

• Use online tools more than 2 times as often 
• Took a health assessment twice as often
• Look up cost information nearly 3 times as often

View or download the PDF to see the full results of the study.

Contact your b&p Group Sales Representative for more information on Aetna HealthFund.