Plan structure important in fostering consumerism.(Benefits Management)

Byline: ROBERTO CENICEROS

As health care costs continue to grow unchecked, more employers are looking to consumer-driven health plans for some relief, though some say they are doing so simply for lack of any better alternative.

Proponents of the plans maintain that fostering a consumerist mentality among health plan participants will help reduce costs. But the long-term impact of consumer-driven model has yet to be determined, and some employers are skeptical about plan vendors' claims. Others, believing it too early to declare the consumer-driven model a panacea, are taking a gradual approach to introducing the plans, holding off on full implementation until they can better gauge their impact, consultants and some plan vendors say.

Nevertheless, interest in the plans continues to grow, and some preliminary data suggests that the approach could help employers curtail their health care spending at a time when traditional managed care seems unable to do so.

Consumer-driven plans generally involve high-deductible coverage combined with an employer-funded health care spending account, which employees use to pay for health care expenses. The plans aim to foster a consumerist mentality by making participants aware of the actual cost of health care and by providing them with educational…