Consumer Driven Health Plans/ HSA

Last month we reported on the rise of retail clinics and the competition they pose for traditional medicine. Patients are lured by low flat rates, easy access and short wait times. Now another form of straightforward, inexpensive healthcare has come to our attention. Winter Park, FL-based Healthfair USA, which bills itself as the "next generation of preventive medicine," provides basic …

Columnist John Berry at Bloomberg News analyzes why the Health Savings Accounts being pushed by the Bush administration won't have the desired effect on healthcare costs. Using a recent Health Affairs paper as a springboard, he interviews the authors and concludes that for many, the accounts wouldn't increase cost-sharing and might actually reduce it in some cases. The flaw is the tax-deductibility of HSA money, which can mean that the consumer's total liability is less in after-tax …

In another step toward "consumer-driven" health care, health plans that want to be accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance will have to demonstrate that they supply their members with information to help them navigate the care system. They'll also have to have programs in place to promote wellness and manage complex conditions. These particular standards have been in place on a voluntary basis since 2005, but the organization is making them mandatory as of …