SECTION14. EMPLOYERPRACTICESANDHEALTHPLANNETWORKS Section14 EmployerPracticesandHealthPlanNetworks Employersplayasignificantroleinfinancingandarrangingforhealthcareandhealthinsurancecoverage,sotheirexperiences areimportantfactorsinhealthpolicydiscussions. Inrecentyears,employershaveincludednewprovidersandsitesofcare, suchasretailclinics, and somehavepursuedchangestotheirnetworkstoreducecostsorimprovequality. Therealsohasbeen considerableinterestinprivatehealthexchanges,whichcouldprovidefirmsandworkerswithawiderarrayofhealthplan choices, althoughthusfarenrollmenthasbeenlow. SHOPPINGFORHEALTHCOVERAGE Fifty-nine percent of firms offering health benefits reportedshoppingforanewhealthplanoranewinsurancecarrierinthe pastyear,similartothepercentagelastyear. Smallfirms(3-199workers)weremorelikelytoshopforcoverage(59%),and firmswith1,000-4,999workersandfirmswith5,000ormoreworkerswerelesslikelytoshopforcoverage(36%and24%, respectively) than firms in other size categories [Figure 14.1]. • Amongfirmsthatofferhealthbenefitsandwhoshoppedforanewplanorcarrierinthepastyear,28%changed insurancecarriers[Figure14.2]. • Eighty-eightpercentoffirmsofferinghealthbenefitsusedabrokerorconsultanttoassistinchoosingahealthplan [Figure 14.3]. The Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research & Educational Trust / Page 210