Health Behaviors and Consumerism

To gain a better sense of the pluses and pitfalls of consumer-driven plans, McKinsey & Co. interviewed more than 1,000 employees who have been covered by a consumer-driven plan for at least 12 months. McKinsey’s analysis compared the health behaviors of those employees with employees covered by other health insurance. As a group, the employees covered by consumer-driven plans were:

• 50 percent more likely to ask about medical costs

• 20 percent more likely to participate in company wellness programs

• 30 percent more likely to get an annual check

• Satisfied (44 percent) with the switch to consumer-driven care

• Dissatisfied (80 percent) with insufficient pricing information, specifically doctors’ charges

Source: “Consumer-Directed Health Plan Report—Early Evidence Is Promising,” June 2005