During this year’s benefits enrollment period, twice as many employees are being presented with health savings account (HSA) or health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) options compared to 2005, according to findings from the 2006 Spencer Survey of Consumer-Driven Health Plans.

The survey found that the number of employers offering an HSA has increased from 12 percent in 2005 to 28 percent this year and the number offering an HRA has increased from 9 percent to 18 percent in 2006. More companies now also offer flexible spending accounts (FSAs), with 64 percent of employers now offering this option, up from 57 percent last year.

The survey further found that the average annual per employee cost for healthcare was more than $6,700, and, not surprisingly, the single most important reason employers are moving to consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) is to reduce their costs.

However, while more firms now offer CDHPs, their popularity among employees remains low. The survey found that the average participation rate in HSAs by employees in companies offering these plans as an option is only 3 percent.

Despite slow employee adoption, more employers still plan to offer additional CDHP options over the next 12 months, with 55 percent reporting they will offer FSAs, 41 percent HSAs, and 23 percent HRAs.

The top three reasons cited most often for moving to a CDHP were:

The survey was conducted by Spencer’s Benefits Reports, a research service produced by Wolters Kluwer Law & Business for health benefits plan administrators at organizations across the U.S.

Source: Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, www.wolterskluwer.com