| Driving To Be Better, Consumer-Driven Health Plans Doing As Designed
Consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) enrollees are more
likely than those with traditional coverage to be more involved in
maintaining their health.
And just as importantly, these individuals are cost conscious, embracing financial incentives as a means to hold down costs.
That’s the conclusion of The 2009 EBRI/MGA
Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey conducted by the nonpartisan
Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI).
CDHP enrollees are younger, healthier, more affluent and
better educated. Furthermore, the survey found that CDHP enrollees were
less satisfied with their health plans than those in traditional health
plans.
In 2009, 4 percent of the population was enrolled in a
CDHP, up from 3 percent in 2008. Enrollment in high-deductible health
plans (HDHPs) was 13 percent in 2009, compared to 11 percent in 2008.
The 4 percent of the population with a CDHP represents 5 million adults
ages 21-64 with private insurance, while the 13 percent with a HDHP
represents 16.2 million people.
The 2009 Consumer Engagement Health Care Survey provides
nationally representative data, regarding the growth of CDHPs and
HDHPs. Researchers in August 2009 conducted a 14-minute Internet
survey, interviewing 4,226 privately insured adults ages 21-64.
Findings from the 2009 survey are compared with findings
from previous surveys and can be found in the December 2009 EBRI Issue
Brief, available at www.ebri.org.
CDHPs are designed to promote awareness of cost and
quality to individuals to increase informed decisions about their
healthcare. Enrollees were more cost conscious than traditional plan
members and more likely to take advantage of wellness programs, a
health risk assessment or a health promotion program.
Financial incentives were more a factor for CDHP
enrollees than for traditional plan enrollees. For example, about 60
percent of CDHP enrollees, and 50 percent of traditional plans
enrollees, would change to doctors using health information technology.
Address: Employee Benefit Research Institute, 1100 13th St. NW, Suite 878, Washington DC 20005; (202) 659-0670, www.ebri.org.
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