Predictors of health plan satisfaction among employees in an academic setting

Abstract

This study's goal was to identify the strongest predictors of satisfaction with a health plan offered to employees at a large university in the Midwestern United States. Survey responses from 1533 employees were analyzed (response rate of 51.2%). Unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to identify factors that were statistically associated with plan satisfaction. Multivariate logistic regression analyses followed by likelihood ratio testing were conducted to assess the predictive value of particular variables. The strongest predictors of satisfaction with the health plan were the perceived quality of the plan's wellness and prevention services (OR = 3.69), having a personal doctor or nurse (OR = 2.70), being satisfied with the cost of the health plan (OR = 2.18), and having claims handled correctly (OR = 1.90). The factors that have the greatest individual effect on these findings were the quality of the plan's prevention and wellness services and how effectively the plan communicated how much particular services or visits would cost.