Consumer-Driven Health Plans: Early Evidence And Potential Impact On Hospitals

Consumer-driven health plans-tax--advantaged accounts paired with high-deductible coverage--represent a small but rapidly growing part of insurance offerings. Supporters believe that such plans will encourage consumers to become better-informed, more cost-conscious users of health care. Opponents wo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health Affairs 2006-01, Vol.25 (1), p.174-185
Main Author: Wilensky, Gail R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Community Participation
Consumer-driven health plans
Consumers
Cost control
Cost reduction
Cost Sharing
Deductible coverage
Deductibles and Coinsurance - economics
Deductibles and Coinsurance - trends
Economic aspects
Employers
Fees, charges, etc
Financing, Personal
Health care policy
Health Care Surveys
Health Expenditures - trends
Health insurance
Health planning
Health policy
Health savings accounts
Health Services - statistics & numerical data
Health services utilization
Hospital Charges
Hospital Costs
Hospitals
Humans
Insurance Coverage
Insurance, Health - economics
Insurance, Health - trends
Medical savings accounts
Medical service
Medicare
Preventive medicine
Pricing policies
Reimbursement
Studies
Truth Disclosure
United States
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Summary:Consumer-driven health plans-tax--advantaged accounts paired with high-deductible coverage--represent a small but rapidly growing part of insurance offerings. Supporters believe that such plans will encourage consumers to become better-informed, more cost-conscious users of health care. Opponents worry that patients will obtain fewer necessary and nonessential services alike. Early evidence suggests that consumer-driven plans result in lower costs and increased use of preventive and chronic care services, but these findings are preliminary. The biggest effect for hospitals might be the pressure produced for increased price transparency and greater uniformity in pricing, although high-deductible plans also could reduce hospital spending by reducing use.
ISSN:0278-2715
1544-5208
DOI:10.1377/hlthaff.25.1.174