Target Offers Employees Health Savings, Reimbursement Accounts, Plans To Eliminate Traditional Health Plans, USA

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 18 May 2006 - 5:00 PDT

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Target has begun to offer employees high-deductible health plans with health savings accounts or health reimbursement accounts and plans to offer traditional plans only for a "limited time in the future," the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. According to the Star Tribune, "How Target workers react to the changes, which took effect last month for most of Target's 338,000 employees, will be closely watched by other employers struggling with rising health care costs." For employees who enroll in health plans with HSAs -- which have annual deductibles as high as $5,000, some of which the company covers, and monthly premiums as low as $20 -- Target contributes $400 annually to the accounts for individual coverage and $800 annually for family coverage. Target also covers 80% of the cost of medical expenses that exceed the annual deductible. Target employees who enroll in health plans with HRAs have lower annual deductibles but higher monthly premiums. In addition, Target, rather than employees, fund HRAs, but the accounts do not transfer in the event workers leave the company. A health plan guide sent to employees said that Target will eliminate traditional health plans in the future, but Target spokesperson Carolyn Bookter said that the company has not made a final decision. Target officials have declined to comment on the amount that the company expects to save from the new health plans (Serres, Minneapolis Star Tribune, 5/11).