This article investigates the impact of postretirement employee benefits on the likelihood that workers expect to retire before age 62 and age 65. Using data from the 1992 Health and Retirement Study, probit regression models were estimated to explore the effect of pension plans and retiree health insurance on the expectation of early retirement. With respect to pension plans, the effects of both the type of pension plan and the expected benefits from those plans are explored. Similar effects were explored for retiree health benefits. The results indicate that postretirement pension benefits and the availability of retiree health benefits have a significant influence on workers' retirement age expectations.
Consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) are designed to make employees more cost- and health-conscious by exposing them more directly to the costs of their care, which should lower demand for care and, in turn, control premium growth. These features have made consumer-directed plans increasingly attractive to employers. We explored effects of consumer-directed health plans on health care and preventive care use, using data from two large employers-one that adopted a CDHP in 2007 and another with no CDHP. Our study had mixed results relative to expectations. After four years under the CDHP, there were 0.26 fewer physician office visits per enrollee per year and 0.85 fewer prescriptions filled, but there were 0.018 more emergency department visits. Also, the likelihood of receiving recommended cancer screenings was lower under the CDHP after one year and, even after recovering somewhat, still lower than baseline at the study's conclusion. If CDHPs succeed in getting people to make more cost-sensitive decisions, plan sponsors will have to design plans to incentivize primary care and prevention and educate members about what the plan covers.
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