I wrote this today to help you decide whether Consumer Driven Health Care is right for you or not. Not everyone will benefit from it, but many can. Consumer Driven Health Care can be looked at from more than one point of view,and can represent a number of different types of programs. Normally, CDHC refers to health insurance plans that allow members to use a personal health savings account to pay their expenses directly. Standard health insurance policies can better protect people from catastrophic events that can cause outrageous medical expenses, but usually always have a high deductible. Using the program I will talk about later, only a small monthly membership fee is required and there are no deductables.
In the example where a person holds funds in a special savings account, it is considered "consumer driven health care" because standard claims are paid using a consumer controlled account rather than a fixed health insurance benefit. This gives people much more control over their own health care budgets. And with the economy the way it is, people need to be in control of their own health care coverage. Imagine if you could pick and choose the coverage you wanted, and only pay for what you need. That is the type of programs I promote.
Like I was saying, there are discounts programs available that don't require any deductible when you need care, and can save you thousands on major accidents. Though family care is in the forefront of the discount health care industry, individuals can enjoy the same affordable savings. Some of these consumer driven discount programs only require a $60/mo membership fee, which is pretty cheap.
Consumer driven health care became more popular in the USA in 2003, when federal legislation provided tax incentives to those who choose such plans. Most Americans will end up paying less for health care in the long run using CDHC because their monthly membership fees are lower.
Even if you have traditional health insurance, CDHC discount plans can be used to offset the costs that your insurance doesn't cover. And for people who can't afford insurance at all, having a discount plan that cuts their expenses dramatically and costs well under $100/month is something they are going to look into.
Nowadays, patients with chronic diseases can manage their conditions and control their health care in ways unheard of only a few decades ago. For example, people with diabetes can be trained to inject their own insulin, monitor and log their blood glucose levels, and use the results to adjust their diet, personal activity and dosage of medication. And now with discount programs on the rise, even diabetics can get on a plan to save a ton of money on their supplies.
If you have health problems, or are simply facing the high costs of traditional health care, you need to consider some type of consumer driven discount program to get the most out of your hard earned money.
I don't have health problems myself, but I can appreciate paying a small monthly membership fee for my entire family rather than having the mainstream health insurance that most people have. Just because it costs more, doesn't make it better. I can get the same treatment as anyone else, but I am paying far less per month to stay on MY plan. Since my plan covers my entire household, and I have 6 people in my family, it really works well for me.
Get quality care that you can afford.
Sincerely, Andrew Hittle
What the CDHC system does is shift the primary amount of responsibility of health care management to consumers. Originating in the late 1990s, consumer directed health plans were designed to have consumers take on a proactive role in medical treatments and respective expenses. Through systems like health savings accounts (HSAs) and health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) consumers became able to make their health care more affordable and accessible. One study indicated that consumers using in this system were more likely to inquire about costs, use a cheaper treatment option and follow treatment regimes more carefully. Due to the large upfront costs required, by default, this system places the burden on consumers to plan their expenses as much as possible.
Consumer driven health care is not necessarily for everyone. A concern under scrupulous study is the idea that less wealthy and educated consumers will not be able to manage a system like this. First off, they won’t have the money to utilize a plan like high deductible health insurance. On top of that, they will not take the time to make informed, appropriate choices for their situation. Costs will largely be the determining factor for deciding which treatment is used.
One thing that will make CDHC systems a success is if consumers have health products, services and pricing at their finger tips. The internet will also have a large role to play in the communication of information. With the rise of internet commerce, many online users are using the web as a tool for fact finding and education. Additionally, it is expected that a new that the internet will develop into a new marketplace for health care shopping and related services.
People are not really informed about the costs of health care maintenance. The internet will be a way to change that. When someone decides to purchase a car, they know exactly what they’ll be getting. They’ll know all the features and any “add-on" options available. When someone purchases a doctor’s visit (especially with medical issues requiring longer care regimes) they don’t know what they’ll be getting themselves into. One test could lead to another test which leads to a visit to another doctor and so on. Treatment regimes are not standardized and they cannot be fully effective if they were.
Will the consumer driven health care option be a solution to providing quality health care? As a consumer, we should be spending more time in reviewing which option suits our needs best. Everyone will have different treatment needs and expectations. Some may need the benefit of having as much health coverage as possible, but overall, we should all be looking at ways to reduce costs for the entire system.
Both Andrew Hittle & Jack Morgan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Andrew Hittle has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Dental Practice. Andrew Hittle is exposing the truth about Consumer Driven Health Care at . Andrew Hittle's top article generates over 1600 views. to your Favourites.
Jack Morgan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Insurance and Health Insurance. Jack Morgan, First Choice Insurance Agency, is an experienced and licensed health and life insurance agent in both Arizona and Oregon and a member of the Better Business Bureau and the Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce. Visit his website at. Jack Morgan's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.