Most covered workers can choose among several types of health plans, including conventional, HMO, PPO, and POS. PPOs remain the most common plan type available to covered workers who have a choice of plans.
- PPOs are the most common health plan offered to workers, followed by HMO plans, POS plans, and conventional plans.
- The percentage of covered workers that have the option of electing a PPO plan is essentially unchanged from last year at 82%. The percentage of covered workers with the option to enroll in a POS plan (28%) is also similar to last year (Exhibit 4.1).
- The option of enrolling in an HMO has decreased slightly since last year. Forty-four percent of covered workers have the option of enrolling in an HMO, compared with 54% in 2004 (Exhibit 4.1).
- The percentage of covered workers who can choose from multiple health plans (63%) has remained relatively stable since 1996 (Exhibit 4.3).
- Health plan choice varies by firm size, with covered workers in large firms (200 or more workers) more likely than covered workers in small firms (3-199 workers) to have a choice between two or more health plans. Seventy-eight percent of covered workers in large firms have a choice of health plans, compared with 33% of covered workers in small firms (Exhibit 4.4)
