Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

How Readable Are Summary Plan Descriptions For Health Care Plans?, Colleen E. Medill, Richard L. Weiner, Brian H. Bornstein, E. Kiernan Mcgorty

Richard R Weiner

How Readable Are Summary Plan Descriptions For Health Care Plans? • SPDs are the primary source of health plan information: The summary plan description (SPD) is the primary source of information for workers who participate in an employment-based health care plan. This study investigates whether private-sector employers’ SPDs are written so that an average plan participant can identify and read important information contained in the document, as required by federal law. The study collected and tested SPDs for 40 health care plans from a diverse national sample and subjected them to content and readability analyses. • Important information contained in …