First plan in local market to provide smaller employers with a preventive pharmacy benefit for high-deductible/HSA products

MINNEAPOLIS, May 16, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- HealthPartners is working to ensure that members who have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) and a health savings account (HSA) have more affordable access to preventive prescription drugs through the launch of the Empower HSA Rx Plus plan.

The Empower HSA Rx Plus plan provides the benefits of a high-deductible and HSA plan including employee engagement and cost savings for employers. In addition, it also provides significant pharmacy savings on certain prescriptions. For more than 200 preventive drugs, members will pay a copay of $12 (generic) or $45 (name brand) for their prescriptions.

Nine of the top 10 drugs most commonly prescribed to HealthPartners members are on the Empower HSA Rx Plus preventive medication list. A member on the Empower HSA Rx Plus plan who is taking the smoking cessation drug Chantix would pay $45 per month instead of more than $125. Other non-preventive drugs will continue to apply to a member's deductible and coverage after the deductible is met will vary by plan format.

"We understand the importance of medications and we want to ensure that our members avoid any potential health complications because of the cost of prescription drugs," said Scott Aebischer, HealthPartners Senior Vice President for Customer Service and Product Innovation.

The Empower HSA Rx Plus plan is available to fully insured customers regardless of the size of the group, including small businesses with as few as two employees. HSA plans with a copay prescription benefit for preventive drugs had previously only been available to much larger self-insured employer groups.

The health benefits that come from improved employee adherence to medications allow this plan design to be more affordable. Premiums for Empower HSA Rx Plus are slightly more than 1 percent higher than premiums for traditional HSA plans, but vary based on the deductible level chosen. The Empower HSA Rx Plus plan is being sold for groups renewing on or after July 1, 2012.

A recent HealthPartners study on consumer-driven health plans, like HealthPartners original Empower HSA plan, found that members in a CDHP saved 5 percent in claims costs compared to members in traditional health plans. The savings were largely the result of members utilizing preventive care services and tools to help them make smarter health care decisions based on quality and cost.

"This plan is another way for employers to further engage their employees in helping to control health care costs," Aebischer said. "While providing a significant benefit for a small difference in cost."

The Empower HSA Rx Plus plan provides other benefits including: 100 percent preventive care coverage for medical services, non-formulary coverage a tax-free savings account (HSA) to help with current and future health care costs and tools and resources to help members make the best health care choices.

About HealthPartners Founded in 1957, the HealthPartners ( www.healthpartners.com ) family of health care companies serves more than 1.4 million medical and dental health plan members nationwide. It is the largest consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the nation providing care, coverage, research and education to improve the health of members, patients and the community. HealthPartners is the top-ranked commercial health plan in Minnesota and is also ranked among the top 25 plans in the nation according to NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2011-12 - private.

SOURCE: HealthPartners