Part of the reason that I initially got my insurance license, was that as a business consultant focused on change management, nearly every business owner, CFO and HR director that I spoke to asked me what I could do about the rising cost of their individual health insurance. Up until recently, with regard to their major medical plan costs rising at double-digit rates every year, there was little I could recommend aside from biting the bullet and accepting that it would be a painful process of micro re-examination of plan costs nearly every year. Many decision makers are being forced to shift costs to their employees or do away with certain benefits altogether. Fortunately, now there is finally a sensible way to reduce costs (and taxes, by the way), give employees more choice, more security and believe it or not, keep them from storming the castle with rakes and torches when you ask them to contribute more out of their own pockets. These plans are aptly called “Consumer Driven Health Plans” (or CDHPs) because the policyholder makes as many choices about their health benefit plans as their employer.

Two key components of CDHPs have been receiving a lot of press. The first is the Health Savings Account (HSA), which must be used in conjunction with the second, a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). Without going into great detail about the restrictions, the whole idea is that by enrolling in a major medical health insurance plan with a significantly higher deductible ($1000 or more), the company (and/or the employee) can dramatically reduce the premium cost. In addition, by replacing Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs require the participants to use the tax free money contributed during the plan year or lose it) with HSAs (that allow the participants to accumulate money in their account tax free BUT the money rolls over from year to year) eventually, the deductible is covered with tax-free dollars.

The only downside to this plan is that FSAs make the elected amount available on day one of the plan, whereas HSAs allow only the amount that has been funded to date to be made available. In other words, for most folks, the first year of such a plan puts them at risk for substantial out of pocket expense related to the deductible.

The way to avoid this risk is to implement a third key component of the plan, Supplemental Benefits. Most often via a new or existing Cafeteria (Section 125) plan.

For several reasons, supplemental benefits should be the first step in any HDHP/HSA plan. First is that they introduce employees to employee funded, 100% voluntary plans so employees come to feel comfortable with contributing to their own financial security. Second is that supplemental plans cover deductibles and co-pays, so employees realize that by participating, they reduce their own out of pocket expense should the unthinkable happen. Thirdly, they learn the value of pre-tax dollars. And last, more choice lends itself to better education in just what those choices are. In other words, employees take more interest in learning how their overall plan fits together and what the best choices are for their family.

When Supplemental plans are introduced first, employees feel empowered by the fact that the company is giving them options to better protect their family without changing anything else. Then when the HDHP/HSA changeover is eventually made, far fewer employees will feel like they’re getting the short end of the stick.

So what makes up a good Supplemental plan?

While many of the plans are similar in benefits and structure, the providers vary widely in how they work and what they actually provide in terms of customer service. Your employees trust you to select high quality benefit providers that give them financial stability and control when they need it most. As more and more players enter the game, every insurance provider will be touting their respective accolades. Just be aware that many small, unproven operations hide beneath the veil of a well-known brand. In some cases, insurance conglomerates are simply an affiliation of unrelated subsidiaries that were acquired for a specific strategic purpose; in this case, to enter the voluntary benefits market. Like the Wizard of Oz, you may find that a parent company’s financial and marketing statistics give a misleading view of the size and capabilities of the business unit that actually does the product design, underwriting, and servicing.

Nobody likes surprises. Especially, related to financial security. And the last thing anyone wants to hear from an employee who has claims issues and thought they signed up for a policy with BIG Insurance Company (whose slick marketing reps touted gazillions in financial backing and years of experience), is that they’ve now found out that the policy they were counting on to protect their family was really underwritten by the National United Smoke and Mirrors Insurance Company of Hoboken, NJ., which did strictly Property and Casualty insurance until last year. So pay attention to the man behind the curtain.

If you ask the right questions of potential providers, you’ll be doing your company and your employees a big favor by picking the best provider for their needs.

Here are some suggestions:

Who is really underwriting the policy and how long have they been doing it?

Experience has its strength, and in the guaranteed renewable (supplemental) market, size does matter. What is the company’s history and track record? You want a company that has the depth to handle any adverse selection, and a track record of satisfied clients across industries.

What is the financial standing of the company?

Regardless of whether you use A.M Best, Moody’s, Fitch, Standard and Poors or some other rating system, make sure you choose one of the highest rated companies. There are several. A is better than B, + is better than -, and so on.

How is the company recognized?

Accolades and industry market share are some indicators, but what you’re really looking for is long-term satisfaction by clients. Long-term relationships with companies like your own are good indicators. More importantly, what is the actual operating unit that provides the underwriting classified as? A life insurance company? A property and casualty company, or a liability company?

And what are its individual ratings?

Are voluntary benefits the insurance provider’s top priority?

Are supplemental/voluntary plans the company’s only focus or are they a sidelight meant to be a means to open a door to other relationships? What percent does the insurance being offered represent of the parent company’s overall premium base? Who you choose can have a lot to do with whether you want to put all your eggs in one basket…or not.

Is representation national?

Do they have a physical presence in all 50 states or just an 800# that goes to a central office? Do they have dedicated agents in your geographic locale or is it a loosely tied, affiliation of middlemen spotted across the map? For companies with one or two local branches, this is not an issue. However, even for companies with many locations in a single state, how consistent your message is conveyed and how well your employees are serviced depends on how well the company’s representatives are trained across the geography. What is the depth and quality of backup?

How often do the rates go up? And what are the circumstances that cause rate hikes?

Some companies guarantee rates for policyholders for a period of time (usually two or three years). Do some due diligence as to how often and how high those rates increase over time. Require a written history. Past practices are a good predictor of future trends. The industry leader has never raised its rates for existing policyholders, but is still one of the top selling insurance stocks. It doesn’t make sense to get a great low rate, if in only a few years it becomes a high rate.

How complicated is the underwriting?

How far back does the underwriting go for critical illness plans? Are any disclosure documents required outside of the application? How many questions are asked during a typical enrollment and what do they require for information on pre-existing conditions? What you’re looking for is as little underwriting as possible. Guaranteed Issue is uncommon unless the group is very large, and in many cases not available at all from even the best companies. Understand what the parameters are for “knock-out” questions. Make sure they seem reasonable.

How strict is the company’s definition of disability?

In some insurance policies’ definition of disability, the insured must be entirely unable to perform each and every duty of his/her job, as well as other specific requirements. Other companies are more liberal in their definition of “total disability” before benefits are paid, often requiring that the insured only be unable to perform “material and substantial” duties before they are deemed disabled. This is one of those areas that vary widely so understand what defines “disabled” by seeing documented examples. Less stringent is better.

What is the company’s loss ratio?

Loss ratio is defined by incurred claims over the life of the average policy divided by earned premium. Meaning what is the average payout versus what the policyholder pays in? Higher is better.

How quickly does the company pay claims?

Unfortunately the landscape varies widely in this key factor. Faster is better. Less hassle is better. Do your homework on this one. Some companies have been nailed in recent years for having internal policies relating to nonpayment of legitimate claims. It’s been uncovered as common practice in other companies to deny legitimate claims pending certain documents that seem to become less and less relevant, stringing you along for months hoping that you’ll give up. Look very closely at procedures and ask for statistics on both common and uncommon claims.

Do benefits require coordination with other coverage before payment is issued?

Some companies offer plans that sound great, but if coverages overlap, all the benefits are not paid. Other providers pay over and above any other insurance the policy holder has, regardless of type or amount or to whom the benefit is payable.

How are benefits paid?

Are they paid directly to the policyholder? To the doctor or hospital? Or some combination of both? Since more choice is better than less choice, the preferable payment is directly to the policyholder who then determines where the money goes.

Does the company encourage preventive care as part of its policies?

Many companies encourage preventative care as part of their base policies and incent policyholders to seek common precautionary screenings in an effort to reduce claims. It makes good sense all around since early-detected conditions usually result in more effective treatment and less time off work. Look for companies that make such benefits a real part of the plan, not riders or options.

Are the policies offered portable?

Portability means that the policy is owned by the policyholder and not the company. So if the policyholder leaves the company for any reason, the policyholder retains coverage at the same levels. True portability means at the same rate as well. Some companies confuse convertibility with portability, making policies truly portable only under certain circumstances. Convertibility means that the policy converts from one form to another, usually a change in benefits offered or rates.

By: John Logan

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Let’s look at the difference between dental discount health plans and traditional dental health insurance. Dental insurance is not what it used to be 20 or 30 years ago. Premiums are now higher for a decent policy and the traditional waiting periods that everyone must incur before they can be seen for any major problems make it almost not worth while.

Pre-existing conditions are not covered by dental insurance policies. This means that if you are suffering from tooth pain and decide to buy dental insurance to save yourself some money on your visit to the dentist, your visit will not be covered. There is a waiting period of 6-12 months before your policy will cover any portion of pre-existing conditions.

Basically, an insurance agent tells me that my premiums are going to be $50-$100 a month, I can see a dentist for a discount on preventive maintenance items such as cleanings, x-rays, fluoride treatments, etc., however, my root canal will have to wait a year, and even then it will not be covered 100%. What kind of “coverage” is this?

Dental discount plans are networks of dentists that have agreed to take less money for standard dental procedures. The only catch to this is that you must pay cash at the time of the visit. This is really a no-brainer. In the example above, if a person needs a root canal right away, they can save anywhere from 10-60% on getting this taking care of and they don’t have to wait a year, they can get it done immediately. You get anywhere from 30-50% savings on most root canals which comes out to $200-$300.00 easily. Also, the annual fee for being a member of the discount plans is substantially less than standard insurance premiums. Most of these plans start as low as $79.95 annually for individual coverage.

If you’re suffering from tooth pain or need to see a dentist for any other reason, you really should look into dental discount health plans as an option.



By: Joe Stewart

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You only can beat them if you don’t get sick, but sooner or later, you or a member of your family will get sick and you will be faced with enormous hospital expenses that could eat a large chunk out of your savings. You may not feel it now because you are still very healthy and could really care less about hospital bills and medical expenses.

If you really don’t want to incur huge hospital bills and other medical expenses, you should get a health plan to cover you and your families in cases of illnesses and other medical emergencies. Do not even think that getting a health plan is but another type of expense that you can do without.

Remember that if you or a member of your family get sick and you don’t have any health care coverage, you could lost a lot more money than what you would pay for a health plan.

Getting sick is an inevitable event. You may not get sick now but somewhere in the future, you might to be hospitalized for one reason or another. It is always a good idea to preface for future events.

There is really no point in scrimping on cost when it comes to health plans.

Where should one get a health plan? There are many insurance companies that are offering health plans. If you want to get a health plan, you should first shop around and ask information regarding the services being offered by reputable insurance companies. Always go for those insurance companies that have good track record when it comes to delivery of services. Also, in gathering information, it would be a good idea to ask the insurance representative for further explanations on the products in order for you to fully understand their services. Now, once you have all the information you need, compare their services and prices. You can always get the best out of your money if you compare prices.

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By: Bob Taylor

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Being in good health is vital if you want to live well. The different foods that you can eat will help you to attain this goal. When you look at the different types of foods that you can eat, you will notice that vegetables and fruits are ones that seem to offer you a better way of living. This route to vegetarian health is one that anyone can adopt.

You will find there are various types of vegetables and fruits that can be placed on a vegetarian health conscious diet. These different vegetables all contribute to the way that your health and metabolism can change for the better.

By looking at the various ideas about what is considered as the right quantities of vegetables you can control the way that these foods interact. This is one of the main aspects that you should look into with a vegetarian health plan.

Among the many things that you will need to look into when you are thinking about cooking and preparing a full vegetarian meal is the items that you will be using to make these meals. The cooking time for various vegetables needs to considered when you are thinking of a meal that is conscious about your future and immediate health.

To gain the most out of a vegetarian health conscious diet there are numerous vegetarian diets that you can look at. These diets will have the food prepared according to the views of the authors. As a result you may not agree with these views. They do however allow you to see the different methods that can be used with regards to preparing and cooking these vegetables.

You should also consider looking at how you can turn vegetables and fruits into delicious tasting smoothies, desserts and snacks. All of this is possible when you look at the different vegetarian recipes that you can find.

The different vegetarian recipes will provide you with all of the nutrients that you need for any meal plan. You should however make sure that you have included a variety of different vegetables. In this way you can ensure that all of the food groups and vitamins that your body needs are fully supplied.

This is a necessity when you are planning to get the full benefits of a vegetarian health diet plan. You should make sure that you start this new diet out slowly so that your body has time to make adjustments to the way that you are going to be eating.

After a certain time limit you will notice the changes that your health is having due to the benefits of eating good food that is green. The most important aspect that you will find due to a vegetarian health conscious diet is that your health is better than ever before.



By: Muna wa Wanjiru

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US Discount Dental Health Plans are an inexpensive dental care alternative instead of buying dental insurance. These discount dental plans never make any payments directly to your dentist or specialist.

The benefit to using these types of discount plans is that they offer substantial discounts, in some cases as high as 60% off, on most routine dental care, such as cleaning, dentures, orthodontic braces and much more.

Here are some of the pro’s and con’s of US discount dental health plans.

Pro’s

One of the good things about these types of plans is they don’t have any age limit restrictions. This means that you can see a qualified participating dental provider no matter how old you are.

Another benefit is that pre-existing conditions are included. Dental insurance policies won’t cover any condition that already existed at the time you were issued the plan. That means that if your whole reason for buying insurance was to get your teeth fixed that you’re in for a rude awakening because it won’t happen. You can get a discount at a participating dentist as soon as you have your discount card in hand.

Although the cost of joining a discount dental plan and getting insurance is close to the same, a discount plan does not require you to pay co-pays each time you visit the dentist. Also, there are no annual limits with discounted plans as there are with most types of insurance.

Cons

If you have a major accident, such as falling off a bicycle, falling out of a tree, falling down and breaking your teeth, etc, then dental insurance would cover most of the costs of fixing your teeth, whereas a discount plan would only offer the discount.

Although there are well over 100,000 providers that accept discount plans in the USA, there are still many areas where service is very limited and you may be forced to travel an hour or more to see a participating dentist.

You may not be able to continue seeing your current dentist, if you have one. You could ask that they become a discount plan provider and then see them, but if they refuse then you’ll have no choice but to find a new dentist within the network of the discount plan.

So are us discount dental health plans a better deal than traditional dental insurance? This depends on your personal needs and the immediate care needs of whoever is going to be included in the plan. It would be best for everyone if they could carry both plans, but that’s not feasible for everyone to do since there are costs involved. Your best option is to get as much information as possible about these two plans, evaluate your urgent dental care needs and make an informed decision afterword.



By: Joe Stewart

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Health insurance will make paying for medication and doctors visit much easier.

Many companies offer their employees health insurance as incentives to work and in order to make sure that employees are healthy enough to come to work each day.

A health insurance for those who have families will help pay for prescription medication for children who get sick or injured. People who have families need to make having health care a priority.

While health plans can vary, most can pay almost all medical expenses. Employees contribute to health plans through their salaries. Each week, money is taken out of their earnings and used for the health care plan. Employers pay the majority of the cost for the plan, but employee contributions can be a sizeable amount of money.

Those who do not have a health insurance will have to pay much more for doctor’s visits and medication. This can ruin the family budget and could hinder receiving the right medical care. Those with families have to find jobs that offer some type of health insurance.

Individual health insurance can be very expensive. Those who are students, self-employed, or who work part-time may have to purchase their own plan in order to have the coverage they will need. This can cost more than the regular visits because premiums are very high. But for those who cannot find another job or who cannot leave school, buying a health insurance is the only way to have enough coverage in case of an emergency. Before resorting to buying a health plan, people should research other alternatives that may work. This could save people money in the long run that could be used for other expenses.

Having health insurance is important, but so is paying other bills on time as well.

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By: Bob Taylor

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So-called “high deductible health plans” are a lot like conventional (PPO/HMO) insurance plans, but they typically have higher deductibles (over $1,000 per year). The idea is that even though the deductible is high, you save so much money from the lower monthly premium costs that the HDHP is a better deal in the long run, when used in conjunction with a tax-free Health Savings Account (HSA).

Last year, in order to setup an HSA, you needed to find a High-Deductible Health Plans that met the following qualifications:

1.A minimum deductible of $1,000 for self or $2000 for family coverage.

2. A maximum out-of-pocket limit of $5,100 for individual coverage, and $10,200 for family coverage.

3. Preventive care can have first dollar coverage (i.e. without a deductible). Preventive care examples include: periodic health evaluations like annual physicals, screening services like mammograms, routine prenatal and well-child care, child and adult immunizations, tobacco cessation programs, and obesity weight loss programs. Prescription drugs taken to prevent the onset of a condition for which a person has developed risk factors for can be considered preventive care, like cholesterol-lowering medication. A general rule of thumb for what is or is not preventive care is the care does not include any service or benefit which treats an existing illness or condition. 4. The plan can use co-pays to cover preventive care. Higher out-of-pocket (co-pays and co-insurance) is allowed for out-of-network care.

5. The can’t cover prescription drugs before the deductible is met.

HDHP’s often offer a better value for money as compared to a lower deductible plan. HDHP premiums are significantly lower, and any out-of-pocket cost risk to can be minimized by funding an HSA to cover out-of-pocket costs up to your deductible. Also, HDHP premiums have not been subject to the kinds of rate increases that traditional health plans have seen over the last few years.

This is not true in all states and for all health plans.

Some have said that consumer-driven health plans, like the HSA+HDHP combo, works best for relatively healthy people. It is certainly true that if you’re healthy, and don’t use medical services during the year, you’ll save a lot of money with a high-deductible plan. But it’s also true that CDH plans, applied wisely, can result in savings and greater flexibility for consumers of all kinds. Individuals who are likely to make moderate or heavy use of medical services should be sure to understand the benefits covered under their plan, and should pay special attention to the co-insurance, maximum out-of-pocket, and any exclusions or carve-outs. Healthia’s health cost modeling tool can help you decide if a CDH plan will work for you.



By: Kurt Stammberger

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First, the official definition of the Primary Care Physician:

Your Primary Care Physician (“PCP”) is the doctor you choose to provide basic health care. In an HMO, your PCP must refer you to a specialist if you need to see one.

Primary Care Physician is a term that applies with HMO Plans. PPO style plans do not use PCP’s. It is important for HMO members to understand how care is handled through their Primary Care Physician to get the most out of their plans.

When do you chose a PCP?

One major difference between HMO and PPO plans is that a PCP must be chosen at the time of applying or enrolling for coverage. There are usually two options for this. The first is to choose an individual doctor (Traditional Primary Care Physician) who is accepting new patients or who was your PCP under your prior plan. The other available option is to choose a contracted HMO medical group or IPA. An IPA is An independent group of physicians and other health-care providers that are under contract to provide services to members of different HMOs, as well as other insurance plans, usually at a fixed fee per patient. This usually means you may access care through this medical group and are not tied to a specific doctor as far as the carrier is concerned. The IPA may have rules on access within their group of doctors. Either way, this selection must occur before the policy can go in effect due to the structure of HMO plans.

Who do HMO applicants need to choose a Primary Care Physician or IPA?

The HMO models works very differently between the PPO model and an HMO in that the carrier pays a fixed amount to the doctor, per month for each patient he/she or the IPA has taken on under the HMO contract. The doctor is then in the position to manage the care and referrals for his/her patients under this fixed amount from the carrier. On the other hand, with PPO plans, the carrier pays per service according to the contract. There is no fixed amount. It is based on utilization.

How do referrals work with Primary Care Physicians?

Some California health carriers allow HMO members to self refer out for more common specialties such as OBGyn and dermatology. It’s important to verify with your carrier or Explanation of Coverage (EOC) on how they treat referrals. In general, the trend has been towards more flexibility with HMO plans but by design, they are more structured so it’s important to always double check with your carrier or PCP outside of explicitly state self-referrals, assume that all care goes through your PCP.

Changing Primary Care Physicians

Typically, you can request a change of PCP’s as long as you are not in a course of treatment with your doctor. The change over usually occurs on the 1st of the month following approval of the change and the new PCP must be accepting new patients. Keep in mind that the new PCP may participate in a different HMO medical group so your choice of specialists (for referral) and/or contracted hospital may change as well.

Your choice of doctor is always an important decision but this is doubly so with a Primary Care Physician. You can research doctor choices available in each network.



By: Dennis Jarvis

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Because periods of crisis loom every now and then, people are constantly looking for ways to save and get higher value for their money. Health insurance plans are now being viewed more meticulously by contentious buyers than before. You should always get the right plan that adequately provides for your primary concerns at a very reasonable price.

About Discount Health Plans

A number of plans give anywhere between 10% to 50% discount on dental and medical services. The health care provider that renders the service has already agreed to be listed and signed a contract with the discount company. The discount company will then provide the benefit of added publicity and presenting a constant flow of traffic to the professional so he or she always has a source of income. The lower percentage agreed upon will be passed on to subscribers of the health insurance plan.

Choosing the Right Discount Health Plan

Getting a discount health plan will most likely have you hold a discount card wherein you can get a variety of services for your money. Out-of-pocket money will move further via a discount plan, regardless of whether you have health insurance or not. You need to watch over the total membership fees for the year, if it is greater than the actual money you have saved in discounts in the same year. The discount plan will then be beneficial to you if the money you get to pay to the discount plan is bigger compared to the money you saved.

Discount health insurance plans are ideal for individuals who may have a hard time getting adequate health insurance policies because of pre-existing conditions. Compared to insurance companies, discount health companies do not need to pay the physician or health care professional any other fee for the services. You may only be required to have not seen a doctor due to any possible or underlying condition for 1 year.

Discount plans may also have a few drawbacks so you have to ensure that there are sufficient health care providers and pharmacies in your area. Make sure that health care providers are competent and trustworthy, since there have been occasions wherein people have become victims of scams and malpractice. There are no agencies that regulate the system and techniques used in discount health plans so very independently the reputation and credibility of the people whom you intend to work with.

More Things to Consider

Discount health plans should always focus on the particular aspects of health and wellness that you are concerned about. Each individual has different concerns with regards to his or her own health which is why your premium or policy should cover your needs adequately.

Consider the drug policy and how much medications you need on a weekly or monthly basis. Look for a coverage that supports medications well if you take a lot. Dental plan should also be checked depending on your needs, whether it is preventive, maintenance or drastic. Vision coverage may also be included in the plans so find out if this can benefit you in exchange for the added cost. There may be some experts who will advise you that a discount plan is not the same as an insurance policy. If you need comprehensive health coverage, you will be better off getting full health insurance.



By: Low Jeremy

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Research indicates there is room for further education among consumers

Research released from Independence Blue Cross (IBC) shows that health care consumers who choose high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) — which feature lower premiums and higher deductibles, and focus on prevention and education — are more likely than members of other health plans to choose lower cost care options, such as generics versus brand drugs, and take better care of their health. Blue Cross Blue Shield Pennsylvania

IBC recently commissioned two in-depth studies to learn more about employer groups’ and consumers’ attitudes towards taking active roles in their health care — known as consumerism — and whether their behaviors back up their beliefs. More broadly, health care consumerism refers to empowering consumers by transforming how they make choices about the price, quality, and value of health care products and services.

“We are working with employer groups to address the challenge of providing cost-effective, quality health care, as the emergence of consumerism is rapidly changing the health care industry,” said Dr. Esther Nash, senior medical director and co-chair for the Office of Consumerism at IBC. “Our research concludes that people are beginning to understand the importance of choosing healthier lifestyles, asking their physicians more questions about treatment options, and proactively making the right decisions for their wellness. The role of the health care consumer has become more and more prominent.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield Pennsylvania is committed to providing the products, tools, and incentives to empower consumers to take an active role in their health care decisions,” said Scott Post, vice president of Marketing and co-chair for IBC’s Office of Consumerism. “We strive for optimum member health that results in medical cost savings and this is part of a major revolution in the health care industry.

“Everyone plays a role in this transformation, from the broker who sells health care plans, to the employer who offers health coverage to his employees, to the physician who treats patients, to the end consumers who ultimately make the decisions that play a huge part in how healthy they are,” he added.

IBC’s Office of Consumerism, formed in 2007, sets the company’s consumerism strategy, implements projects to benefit health care consumers, and collaborates with business partners and employer groups to expand consumerism efforts.

IBC’s research found:

·    Blue Cross Blue Shield Pennsylvania HDHP members more engaged. Consumers in high-deductible plans appear to be more engaged in making health care decisions than consumers in more traditional managed care plans such as HMOs or PPOs. This is especially true when it comes to managing a chronic condition. Fifty-seven percent of HDHP members with chronic conditions say they are actively involved in treatment decisions, versus 37 percent of members who are in other managed care plans.

·    Demand for high-deductible plans growing. In the Philadelphia market, adoption of HDHPs is growing, and in 2008, IBC saw a 109 percent increase in HDHP enrollment. As employers deal with more challenging times, more may begin to offer HDHPs as a cost saving option that will also encourage their employees to become better-educated consumers of health care.

·    Health plans regarded as a key source of information. Consumers are not yet confident in their ability to make health care decisions and they continue to look for guidance from traditional sources such as friends, family, and their physicians. However, consumers have now begun to regard their health plans as a viable source for information, particularly when exploring treatment options or the cost of care.

·    Price matters — sometimes. Overall, consumers are not yet willing to be inconvenienced to get a better price for health care. However, HDHP members are more likely to take actions for a better price such as using a primary care physician over a specialist or changing the location for taking a diagnostic test. When consumers do ask questions, they primarily pertain to the cost of prescription drugs. The number one health care decision where consumers said they would make a choice to save money is opting for a generic over a brand name prescription drug.

·    Employers willing to reward workers; employees willing to participate. Half of employers surveyed said they are likely to offer a wellness rewards program to their workforce and believe it will lead to healthier employees. Nearly 85 percent of the surveyed employers believe that the best way to control health care costs is for people to take better care of themselves. Approximately two-thirds of consumers would be likely to participate in incentive programs if offered. Consumers also said if their employers offered incentive programs, it would show that they cared about their employees.

·    Plans promote well-being. The majority of consumers believe their health plans want to help them improve or maintain their health. This was particularly true of IBC members; 81 percent of IBC members felt this way versus 67 percent of other carriers’ members. When asked why, consumers pointed to IBC’s coverage for preventive care and incentives for healthy behavior. IBC members were more likely than members of other plans to mention the availability of IBC’s wellness programs, such as incentives to exercise, lose weight, or quit smoking.

“We are encouraged by these survey outcomes and look forward to similar employer and consumer studies scheduled to be conducted later this year,” said Post. “This way we will be able to gauge the impact of our efforts to educate the health care consumer and offer the appropriate tools and programs. Over the long run, we expect the consumerism movement to result in greater awareness of wellness, improved long-term health for consumers of our region, and a strong potential for lowering medical cost trends to help employers control health care costs.”

IBC offers many ways for members to become engaged in health care decisions. For example, a pilot program of Healthy Lifestyles(SM) Rewards, an incentive program to help members work toward a healthier lifestyle, was launched earlier this year with four employers, and will be offered to employers with more than 100 employees, beginning July 2009. Healthy Lifestyles Rewards allows employers to reward employees’ healthy behavior with gift cards.

The two consumerism surveys commissioned by IBC were conducted online by DSS Research, a national research firm headquartered in Fort Worth, Tex. The Consumerism Study interviewed several thousand southeastern Pennsylvania consumers in August 2008 who were insured either by IBC or another carrier. The employer group study was conducted in November 2008 among 225 organizations in the Philadelphia area. All employers had at least 100 employees who participate in their health plans.

Independence Blue Cross

Independence Blue Cross is a leading health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, Independence Blue Cross and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.4 million people. For more than 70 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered high-quality health care coverage tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, and health care professionals. Independence Blue Cross’s HMO and PPO health care plans have consistently received the highest ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. More information about Independence Blue Cross is available at www.ibx.com.



By: Www.easytoinsureme.com

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