| The healthcare industry, and especially health insurance | | | | makes for more affordable health coverage as the |
| companies seem to love acronyms; and two you are | | | | premiums attached to the HDHP's are significantly |
| likely to hear or read a lot more about in the coming | | | | lower then other policies offering similar benefits. But |
| years are CDHP and HSA - for Consumer Driven | | | | consumers have not embraced the idea. And those |
| Health Plans and Health Savings Accounts. They are | | | | that do, mainly do so primarily for the obvious |
| the vanguard of the new movement of consumerism | | | | advantage of the lower premium, and fail to see the |
| in healthcare. Which after years of insurance | | | | other aspect of the concept, the HSA as a Tax Free |
| companies in command of most decisions regarding | | | | annuity. |
| healthcare, seeks to return more control to consumers. | | | | Experts and industry watchdogs agree that it can be |
| The idea is that as they have in other areas of the | | | | complicated, and it falls on the insurance companies |
| economy consumers themselves can do much to help | | | | themselves to help educate consumers on the |
| to control and bring down the costs of healthcare. It is | | | | advantages and benefits of Consumer Driven Health |
| a rather ambitious goal, and yet "we the people" are | | | | Plans. And many of them are heeding the call. For |
| the only ones in the equation that have yet to have | | | | example Humana now counts among its customer |
| been given a shot at reducing health insurance and | | | | service staff a telephone robot named Eliza that calls |
| healthcare costs, while the insurance companies, | | | | members to tell them about money saving initiatives |
| healthcare providers, and the government certainly | | | | like low-cost drug alternatives. According to Beth |
| have not done such a great job. | | | | Bierbower, Humana's vice president of product |
| In many parts of the country insurance companies | | | | innovation, Eliza has saved members over $11 million |
| have embraced the idea of Consumer Driven Health | | | | over the last 18 months. Similarly, United Healthcare has |
| Plans. While it is debatable if their motives are truly to | | | | initiated a program that tracks the type of care it sees |
| empower consumers or just to shift more of the cost | | | | its members are using most often, and provide |
| of healthcare to them, many of these programs do | | | | information accordingly. So for example on monthly |
| have merit. The problem is consumers and businesses | | | | statements members with diabetes are reminded to |
| alike, have been very slow to participate. And this | | | | go for annual foot and eye exams. |
| according to experts in the filed is primarily due to a | | | | Putting consumers in the driver seat to make more of |
| lack of understanding of how they work. The | | | | their own decisions regarding health insurance and |
| cornerstone of the consumerism model in health | | | | healthcare costs may very well prove to be a great |
| insurance is the HSA coupled with another acronym - | | | | idea down the road. However, getting there safely and |
| the HDHP, High Deductible Health Plan. Basically the | | | | efficiently as with any new driver will require some |
| idea is to set aside funds in pre-tax dollars to pay for | | | | proper training, and that will only come with concerted |
| out of pocket medical expenses, until you reach a high | | | | efforts by the insurance companies, and state and |
| deductible usually at least 1500.00 to 2000.00 dollars, | | | | federal officials. |
| when the health benefits of the plan kick in. This | | | | |