| When considering the family budget and being | | | | HMO, PPO, and POS plan options that leave a |
| a good parent, providing quality healthcare | | | | loophole for various "medical groups" to |
| at a reasonable price is right up there with | | | | decline responsibility for specific doctor's |
| the mortgage payment, car payments and | | | | office visits or treatments (sticking the |
| college tuition. Consumer driven healthcare | | | | befuddled patient with the full bill). |
| is a movement in the United States. Consumer | | | | "Consumers have choice in every area of their |
| Driven Healthcare relies on a free-market | | | | lives, except healthcare," he stated. Nearly |
| approach to control costs through consumer | | | | 85 percent of consumers responding to a new |
| choice, with employees assuming greater | | | | survey said that they believed hospitals and |
| ownership for their healthcare decisions and | | | | doctors should be required to disclose their |
| related finances. Consumer driven healthcare | | | | prices. |
| is about changing employee behavior. | | | | |
| Consumer driven healthcare is just talk and | | | | Opponents argue that CDH is really just cost |
| will fail unless we want to walk the walk. | | | | shifting from employers to employees and that |
| In simple words, the hope for consumer driven | | | | rather than spending more responsibly, |
| healthcare comes from the simple notion that | | | | consumers in these types of plans will be |
| putting responsibility for expenses and | | | | more inclined to avoid necessary care. |
| decisions back into the hands of the consumer | | | | |
| will result in more rational utilization of | | | | Consider these options for maximizing your |
| resources. So while the healthcare debate | | | | health care discounts: Ask your doctor's |
| heats up in Washington, across the state | | | | office if they provide a discount for paying |
| capitals, in corporate boardrooms, on the | | | | cash. Start today and put these easy steps |
| campaign trail and on TV, some of us folks | | | | into practice to become a champion of |
| are trying to make sense of "consumer driven | | | | consumerism and proactive consumer of health |
| healthcare". | | | | care. A survey of more than 70 leading |
| | | | health care insurers (representing more than |
| Consumer-Driven Healthcare also referred to | | | | 100 million insured individuals) found that |
| as "CDH", is a type of health plan that gives | | | | over the next 12 months health care costs are |
| members more choice and flexibility in making | | | | projected to increase by 10. However, |
| health benefits decisions and more control | | | | consumer-driven healthcare (CDH) can result |
| over their health benefits dollars. | | | | in savings and greater flexibility for |
| Consumer-driven care will change the way your | | | | consumers of all kinds. Learn how CDHC will |
| hospital does business. Consumers will | | | | change the way health care is financed and |
| increasingly take on the responsibility of | | | | delivered. Understand how CDHC will affect |
| managing their own health benefits, in many | | | | health plans, healthcare providers and |
| cases through individually held health | | | | pharmaceutical companies. |
| savings accounts that will give them greater | | | | |
| freedom to determine when and how they spend | | | | Shop-Till-You-Drop the debate rages on about |
| their healthcare dollars. Consumer-driven | | | | how to reform healthcare in America… |
| healthcare is defined as a system where | | | | Meanwhile, what can we do to become more |
| consumers, not the employer or insurance | | | | successful consumers? We consumers may not |
| provider, determine how and where to spend | | | | be in the healthcare driver's seat yet, but |
| their healthcare dollars. However, | | | | we can at least become more vocal back-seat |
| consumer-driven healthcare (CDH) can result | | | | drivers. " The consumer experience combines |
| in savings and greater flexibility for | | | | the individual's sense of empowerment, |
| consumers of all kinds. The merits of | | | | because he has direct input into decisions |
| various types of consumer-driven programs are | | | | about his healthcare, with the knowledge and |
| being hotly debated, but the reality is that | | | | tools he needs to make those decisions. |
| CDHC simultaneously creates both a consumer | | | | |
| "movement" as their financial responsibility | | | | In my opinion the ultimate goal of CDHC |
| and involvement in their care choices | | | | should be to put control of you health |
| increase, and a consumer experience. | | | | decisions back into the hands of the consumer |
| | | | and their healthcare provider of choice, (in |
| If healthcare were consumer-driven, | | | | other words you and your doctor) not into the |
| "maintenance" prescriptions (medications you | | | | hands of the insurance companies and the |
| need over long periods of time) wouldn't | | | | employer. To get the biggest bang from your |
| require complicated pre-authorization forms | | | | buck look at getting a |
| from your doctor, which are usually rejected | | | | |
| the first time around. If healthcare were | | | | 1. Discount Health Plan, |
| consumer-driven, basic allergy medications | | | | |
| like Zyrtec wouldn't be so hard to come by, | | | | 2. Health Savings Account |
| and wouldn't cost $25 a bottle out-of-pocket. | | | | |
| If healthcare were consumer-driven, patients | | | | 3. |
| wouldn't be forced to choose between complex | | | | |