Asparity Decision Solutions is pleased to report that nearly 40,000 federal employees have used PlanSmartChoice to evaluate their health plan options and make an informed health plan choice during the 2010 open season, which ends December 14, 2009. PlanSmartChoice, an online suite of health plan selection tools, is free to all federal employees who participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program during the open season and throughout the plan year.

According to Google Analytics, PlanSmartChoice has had nearly 150,000 visits during the open season to date. Federal employees who have used PlanSmartChoice:

• Live in all 50 states. More than 40,000 visits have occurred from the Washington, DC area (including Virginia and Maryland), 15,000 in California, and 10,000 in New York.
• Work in 83 countries or territories, including civilian federal employees in Germany, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Iraq.
• Find the site through a wide range of channels. Nearly 50 percent of users come directly to the site, and another 30 percent link through the Office of Personnel Management (www.OPM.gov). Other referral sources include federal agency web sites, Employee Express, employee blogs, radio programs, and print publications.
• Spend an average of 12 minutes, which is consistent with past experience.

"Just as congress debates health insurance reform and the role of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, federal employees are using PlanSmartChoice to evaluate their health plan options and simplify the decision making process", said Colleen M. Murphy, Asparity's President and CEO. "In other words, by spending 10 to 15 minutes on PlanSmartChoice, they are informed health care consumers."

While 50 percent of users are from five of the largest federal agencies, Asparity reports that federal employees from about 150 federal organizations have already used PlanSmartChoice. Usage is highest by employees in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense (including the U.S. Airforce, Army and Navy), Department of Agriculture, U.S. Postal Service, and Internal Revenue Service. "Federal agencies of all shapes and sizes have done a terrific job of making sure their employees have the help they need to make an informed health plan choice," said Murphy.

In terms of site usage, 70 percent of PlanSmartChoice users have used the tools two or more times before making a final selection. The medical cost calculator is the most popular tool, which is consistent with federal employees' concerns about their cost increases, family budgets, and financial security. Approximately 40 percent of the users are currently enrolled in a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan, and the remaining 60 percent are enrolled in another 240 medical plans.

PlanSmartChoice is free to all federal employees. Federal employees access the health plan selection tools at www.PlanSmartChoice.com and use them to:

• Learn which medical plan best meets their personal needs and financial circumstances
• Estimate total health care costs based on their own need for medical services
• Determine how much to set aside in a flexible spending account
• Compare detailed benefits across their medical, dental, and vision plan options.

In 2009, federal employees, who had an average choice of 21 medical plan options, as well as dental, vision, and tax savings plans, were most concerned with the cost of their health care. Federal employees who used PlanSmartChoice evaluated financial issues when selecting a medical plan, learned that the total cost of health care varied significantly by health plan, enrolled in more cost-effective plans, and reported that cost concerns drove their decision to switch plans. On average, these federal employees spent four to five percent of their annual income on health care (PlanSmartChoice users had an average income of $83,000) and enrolled in the flexible spending account to further control their annual health care costs.