STATE OF THE CDHP INDUSTRY

Consumer-directed health plans combine a tax-advantaged health savings or reimbursement account with a high-deductible plan and support tools for evaluating treatment options, cost and quality. After the initial launch by early independent providers, more traditional health insurance companies such as Aetna, Humana and Blue Cross/Blue Shield affiliates entered the market.

Small employers and retailers formed the vanguard for CDHPs, with a significant number adopting the plans in 2004. Small-employer dominance is reflected in this year’s list, with most of the providers reporting large numbers of employer clients and relatively small numbers of covered lives. Total enrollment in both employer-sponsored and individual CDHPs rose from about 3 million in January 2005 to 6 million in January 2006, still a small percentage of the 177 million enrollees and dependents with private health insurance coverage, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The companies listed here represent 5.4 million covered lives.

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