New Research Illuminates Prevalence and Effects of Consumer-Driven Health Plans

9/9/2003

From: Kari Root of AcademyHealth, 202-292-6721

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Consumer-driven health plans have created a stir among payers, providers, and consumers of health care. To what extent have employers embraced such plans and with what effect on their benefit costs and operations? Who chooses consumer-directed health care and what has the early experience been of those who have tried it? Do consumer-driven plans offer a path toward better quality and cost-effective delivery of health care, or do they just create more problems?

These and other questions pose the backdrop for new findings from research to be released on Sept. 15 in Washington, D.C. "Consumer-Driven Health Care: Evidence from the Field" is the theme for a meeting hosted by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO) initiative and The Commonwealth Fund, which will be conducted by AcademyHealth.

The meeting brings together employers, insurers, and representatives from consumer-driven health plans to respond with their perspectives on the implications of these plans on risk selection, cost, utilization, and employees' health benefits experience.

When: Monday, Sept. 15, from 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (registration and continental breakfast at 8 a.m.)

Where: Wyndam City Center, 1143 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC

Who:

-- Karen Davis, The Commonwealth Fund;

-- Susan Dentzer, NewsHour with Jim Lehrer;

-- Jon Gabel, Health Research and Educational Trust;

-- Paul Ginsburg, Center for Studying Health Systems Change;

-- Mark Pauly, University of Pennsylvania;

-- Gerald Shea, AFL-CIO

REGISTER: E-mail news@academyhealth.org or call Kari Root at 202-292-6721