Insurance Option for Self-Insured Employers

Aetna and United Healthcare have started offering co-pay only plans for self-insured employers. The Aetna plan is called “SimplePay,” while that for United Healthcare is “Surest.” There are no deductible or co-insurance payments with these plans. Available details are sketchy as of this writing, and they are not tailored for emergency/urgent care situations. However, they appear to be similar to healthcare “credit cards,” where employees are liable for costs up to the out-of-pocket maximum, after which the insurance pays the whole amount due. Employees receive monthly statements informing them of their status. There is no network involved, meaning employees can research treatment, compare costs, and go to any provider they want, as well as research available medications. The out-of-pocket requirement resets on an annual basis, as usual.