Employees with consumer-driven health plans take a more active role in their health care, including making more informed decisions about health plan enrollment with the help of a benefit adviser, new research shows.
Employees with CDHPs used resources and cost information before selecting a plan more often than those with traditional plans, a 2014 Employee Benefit Research Institute / Greenwald & Associates Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey says.
The survey showed that people enrolled in a CDHP were more likely than those with traditional coverage to say they:
- Attended a meeting where health plan options were explained
- Consulted with HR about plan choices
- Consulted with a broker to understand plan choices
The data show that CDHP enrollees are more likely than traditional-plan enrollees to take advantage of various wellness programs, such as health-risk assessments, health-promotion programs, as well as biometric screenings, says Paul Fronstin, director of EBRIs health education and research program and co-author of the report. Its also clear that financial incentives matter more to CDHP enrollees than they do to traditional-plan enrollees.
The survey found that adults with CDHPs were more likely than those with traditional coverage to say they:
- Checked whether the plan covers care
- Asked for a generic drug instead of a brand name
- Talked to their doctor about prescription options and cost
- Checked the price of service before getting care
- Asked a doctor to recommend less costly prescriptions
- Talked to their doctor about other treatment options and costs
- Developed a budget to manage health care expenses
- Used an online cost-tracking tool
About 15% of Americans are enrolled in a CDHP, while 74% have more traditional health care coverage, the survey found. Eleven percent of Americans are enrolled in a high-deductible health plan, 57% have an HSA or HRA, and 43% are enrolled in an HSA-eligible plan but havent opened an account, the survey also found.
