Blue Cross Survey: CDHC Plans Working
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association has unveiled the results of its latest survey of Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHP). This year’s presentation reveals that:
- BCBS enrollment in CDHPs has grown 50% in the last year, with 2.9 million in HSA programs and 1.5 million in HRAs.
- Distribution of age and income matches very closely with the distribution for non-CDHP enrollment.
- People who choose a CDHP want to have more control over costs and utilization.
- Compared to people in a non-CDHP plan, people with HSAs are far more likely to ask their doctor about the cost of a recommended treatment (52% to 33%), choose a lower cost option (36% to 23%), and use mail order for buying Rx (43% to 30%).
- They are also far more likely to track their health care expenses (72% to 40%), estimate future expenses (38% to 22%), and discuss expenses with their doctor (38% to 27%).
- They are about 50% more likely to participate in wellness programs.
- They are slightly more likely to use preventative services and equally likely to receive necessary services and comply with prescribed treatment.
- Savings due to reduced utilization equal $1,074 per member in full replacement groups and $615 for multiple choice groups.
- Still, this year for the first time, CDHP enrollees are somewhat less likely to recommend the coverage to others (38% to 45%).
These are very good results. In fact, almost all the reports I see from insurers and employers are very favorable to CDHC plans.
If HSA's, as weak as they are, are producing these results, think about what a Universal Health Account would do!