Consumer-driven health plans (CDHP)

> In a new report, market intelligence specialist IMS Health says U.S. prescription drug sales grew 5.4 percent to $251.8 billion in 2005. Since January, IMS reports 18 million prescriptions have been filled under Medicare Part D. Release

> Supporters of consumer-driven health plans are pointing at a recent internal study conducted by CIGNA that finds that patients who …

Advocates of consumer driven healthcare plans (CDHPs) are pointing to a wellness program at a South African company as a potential model for the U.S. The program uses an intricate point system to reward plan members for taking good care of themselves, sweetening the pot with discounts on travel, hotel stays and electronics. Plan members can rack up points by going to the gym regularly (with points accruing with each visit), participating in smoking cessation programs, or maintaining their …

With the State of the Union speech scheduled for tonight, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows many Americans (20 percent) feel changes to the healthcare system should be a top priority. Many are also worried about the current state of Medicare's prescription drug system (11 percent), although more say the Iraq War must be addressed before either domestic issue is tackled. Respondents also said they would prefer Congress to take the lead rather than the …

A new insurance industry report finds that the number of people enrolled in high deductible, low-premium plans which qualify for health savings accounts has approximately tripled over the last ten months. America's Health Insurance Plans, the insurance industry trade group, calls that growth "a real success." About three million people are now signed up in variants of such plans. Total enrollment still represents a fraction of the number of those enrolled in conventional insurance plans …

An article in the Los Angeles Times looks at the information gap that prevents patients from effective comparison shopping when making their healthcare choices. The most onerous catch-22 of the consumer-driven healthcare plan movement is well known by those who follow the industry: In order to make more informed decisions, customers need better access to information. For the most part, that information just isn't there. That has led to a number of well-publicized efforts to …

The real problem with consumer-driven healthcare, critics argue, is that shopping for a doctor or a hospital is a little more complicated than shopping for a TV set or a new iPod. Most people don't know enough about their health, and they know little, if anything, about the healthcare system. One solution might be a shift toward a philosophy of care delivery that borrows from the managed care era, argues James Robinson in Health Affairs. Article

The movement toward concierge medicine is a by-product of the broader shift toward consumer-driven healthcare, supporters argue. Given the economic realities of managing a medical practice, charging a small fee to allow more personalized care is a reasonable suggestion, the logic goes. Concierge medicine has been a controversial idea since it appeared in the late 1990s. Critics argue the trend is another step toward a two-tiered health system in which some patients receive barely standard …

> A study finds Ohio has overpaid hospitals for workers' compensation claims by $544 million over the past seven years. Story

> McKesson's ex-CFO cleared of charges related to HBOC merger fraud. Story

> What does the future hold for Revolution Health Group, Steve Case's bold new experiment with …

The national drive for consumer-driven health plans (CDHP) is having mixed results. A new study of the plans by consultancy McKinsey finds that the plans are doing a better job of providing preventative care than traditional plans. On the other hand, many consumers are reporting difficulties finding the accurate information necessary to make informed healthcare decisions. That may be the most serious obstacle the high-deductible plans face. Only 44 percent of the consumers interviewed by …