Dive Summary:
- Walgreen Co plans to move healthcare options for 120,000 employees from private carriers to the Aon Hewitt Corporate Health Exchange.
- 17 other employers, including Sears Holding Corp and Darden Restaurants Inc, are already using the exchange, which provides coverage in a manner similar to what will be offered by the exchanges that the Affordable Care Act mandates.
- Employees are likely to get more choices in the new program, though Paul Fronstin, a senior research associate with the Employee Benefit Research Institute, questions what will happen to employer contributions in the long term and the impact that will have on ultimate savings for employees.
From the article:
... For some employees the exchanges could offer more choice. Walgreen's employees eligible for healthcare coverage were asked in the past three years to choose between two plans, both with high deductibles. Those plans were managed by Blue Cross Blue Shield or United Healthcare, depending on the area of the country. ...
