Consumer Driven Health Care: Should you hop on board?

More and more employers are taking a hard look at this new movement in health care, high deductible plans tied to spending accounts that patients control. What do these plans look like? Why might they help? Why might they fall short? Stories and Programs What Are Health Savings Accounts? In the first part of our weeklong series on Consumer Driven Health Care, we look at what's become a centerpiece in the newest movement to drive down health care costs.   listen: Will Consumer Driven Health Care Put the Brakes on Rising Costs? Supporters say it's the best way to make the health care system more efficient and affordable for everyone. Critics say it will fail on both fronts and make health care inequalities even worse. Experts caution -- keep your expectations on cost realistic.   listen: The Vision of Consumer Driven Health Care From One of the Founders Regina Herzlinger at Harvard Business School first suggested a consumer-driven health care model nearly 30 years ago. She believes consumer driven care will force insurance companies and providers to meet the real needs of individuals.   listen:

On the web: Consumer-Directed Health Plans: Slideshow from the Kaiser Family Foundation outlining consumer-driven programs. Background Brief: Consumer-Directed Health Arrangements: A background summary from Kaiser. HSAs Overview: American Health Insurance Plans report on enrollment in high deductible plans.

Your Views: "[Today] prices go up even more in a cycle that will not stop unless the end-consumers take more responsibility for the cost of care. Consumer driven healthcare gives us a chance to break out of this cycle..." read more "Consumer driven health care is another sham about to be pulled on the American public..." read more Post your comment (Free registration required; login or register to add your comments)

Healthcare Shopping and the Quest for Information

A key idea behind consumer driven care is that patients will become smart shoppers and get the best value for their healthcare dollars. But in order to shop for something, a person needs some information: what’s it going to cost, and how good is the quality?

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What Might Consumer Driven Care Hold for the Future?

We hear from one of the originators of the consumer health care movement and explore how consumer preference might play itself out in the health care industry.

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Consumer Driven Healthcare: A Two Hour Exchange Special

Part One: An edited rebroadcast of a town hall style forum moderated by Executive Editor Jon Greenberg, held in Manchester July 19th. Jon and his panel discuss consumer driven health care- what it's all about, the pros, the cons and where it's going.

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Part Two: We look at consumer driven health care in New Hampshire. We'll define what it is, see if geography makes a difference in where these types of plans work, get the breakdown of consumer driven health care versus the traditional HMO-type plan in our state and ask how feasible it is for these programs to make an impact here in the Granite State and on health care costs in general.

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Want to Control Health Care Spending? Focus on Doctors

A leading researcher says consumer driven care isn't bad, it just misses its target.

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The Money Side of Consumer Driven Health Care

A new constituency for this form of health insurance -- banks, and others, that want to cash in on managing the money in health savings accounts.

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The Front Porch: Consumer Driven Health Care Special

We wrap up the series by looking at how a move towards consumer driven care could affect the doctor patient relationship and how the advertising industry has changed the face of medicine over the years.

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