For the third consecutive year, the National Survey of Employer Sponsored Health Plans by William Mercer and Associates has reported increases in CAM coverage among the nation’s self-insured employers.

Employer’s     Acup Acup Chiro Chiro Massage Massage
Plan Type      1999 2000  1999  2000  1999    2000
PPO
500+ workers    23%  24%   83%   84%   12%     13%
10-499          11%  19%   68%   77%    8%     13%
Point of
Service 500+    20%  24%   74%   81%   11%     15%
10-499           8%  18%   57%   65%    6%     17%
HMO 500+        16%  19%   60%   66%    9%     14%
10-499          17%  19%   51%   62%   10%     11%
Traditional
Indemnity 500+  21%  25%   80%   84%    7%     13%
10-499          19%  19%   69%   69%    7%     10%

Mercer’s analysts concluded, with this study, that chiropractic is now the rule, rather than the exception. The most significant 1999-2000 year-to-year-growth was found among smaller employers, with the percent of respondents including acupuncture jumping by as much as 10% in one plan category.

COMMENT: Followers of employer-CAM activity are quick to point out that these data were developed prior to the impact of two shifts in the employer universe. First, employers have seen huge jumps in basic health care premium costs to maintain basic benefits. Second, the economic downturn is expected to raise unemployment, thereby taking the pressure off employers to toss additional benefits into their packages to lure a quality workforce. Mercer’s data for next year should begin to indicate whether the recent up-trend in CAM offerings has stuck to the ribs of basic benefits or will be quickly sloughed off.