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Consumer engagement in health: greater cost-consciousness and demand for cost/quality information

By on December 14, 2011 in Health care information technology, Health Consumers, Health Economics, Health engagement, Health insurance, Health literacy, Internet and Health, Managed care

People enrolled in consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) are more likely than enrollees in traditional health insurance products to be cost-conscious. In particular, CDHP members check prices before they receive health care services, ask for generic drugs versus branded Rx’s, talk to doctors about treatment options and their costs, and use online cost-tracking tools. Furthermore, CDHP [...]

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Employers’ health plans look to behavior change, while accelerating the premium cost shift to employees

By on June 8, 2011 in Employers, Health Economics, Health engagement, Health Plans, Health social networks, Managed care, Medication adherence, Prevention and wellness

The new mantra for employers who sponsor health benefits is: “a healthy workplace leads to a healthy workforce.” Employers that sponsor health plans are now in the behavior change business, according to Aon’s 2011 Health Care Survey. Health plans are tightly focusing on wellness, motivating and sustaining positive personal health changes, with carefully designed incentives [...]

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No relief: medical costs will increase by double-digits again in 2011

By on October 4, 2010 in Health Economics, Health reform, Managed care, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, PPACA

Medical costs will grow between 10% and 11% in 2011, depending on whether an enrollee is opting for a PPO (11%), a POS (11.2%) or an HMO plan (10.2%). These growth rates are similar to 2010 increases, with the largest percentage growth projected for point-of-service plans from 10.6% in 2010 to 11.2% next year. These [...]

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Benefits and costs: the growing burden of health insurance on American families

By on September 3, 2010 in Employers, Health Economics, Health Plans, Managed care

Since 2000, American workers’ contributions to health insurance premiums more than doubled, to nearly $4,000 a year from $1,619 ten years earlier. The total premium going to health insurance per worker for family coverage is $13,770 in 2010, with nearly $10,000 being borne by the employer. Workers’ share of premium increased 147%, and employers’ grew 114%. The [...]

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Health consumers don’t understand their patient-power…yet

By on June 16, 2010 in Bio/life sciences, Employers, Health Consumers, Health social networks, Internet and Health, Managed care, Pharmaceutical

Most health consumers define the value of drugs in terms of safety and efficacy first, then quality of life and cost second. These priorities are similarly shared by both biopharma executives and managed care management. Where consumers diverge with the two health industry stakeholders, though, is with respect to their power: while about 1 in 3 [...]

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