This article on high deductible plans as a tool to increase cost sharing and reduce the overall health care costs, gives an excellent overview of the pros and cons that accompany such plans. High deductible plans have long been tested as method to cut the health care utilization and thereby cost of unnecessary and inefficient care. Although it has been successful in reducing the use of health care services, some of them are clinically effective and essential. Some of the causes of such under utilization is education level of population, insufficient information and lack of transparency. One another important issue underlined in this article is which health care services should qualify for first-dollar coverage? Clearly such decision cannot be made by single entity or group and would require effective collaboration of consumer, providers and insurers to achieve the goal. As the author points out a completely cheap alternative to high deductible plan to reach the goal of cost effective health care, increasing collaboration between physicians and patients to eliminate or decrease wasteful and inefficient practices and procedures. However given the present scenario, high deductible plans seems to be the best available tool to achieve or at least move towards the desired results.
This article on high deductible plans as a tool to increase cost sharing and reduce the overall health care costs, gives an excellent overview of the pros and cons that accompany such plans. High deductible plans have long been tested as method to cut the health care utilization and thereby cost of unnecessary and inefficient care. Although it has been successful in reducing the use of health care services, some of them are clinically effective and essential. Some of the causes of such under utilization is education level of population, insufficient information and lack of transparency.
ReplyDeleteOne another important issue underlined in this article is which health care services should qualify for first-dollar coverage? Clearly such decision cannot be made by single entity or group and would require effective collaboration of consumer, providers and insurers to achieve the goal.
As the author points out a completely cheap alternative to high deductible plan to reach the goal of cost effective health care, increasing collaboration between physicians and patients to eliminate or decrease wasteful and inefficient practices and procedures. However given the present scenario, high deductible plans seems to be the best available tool to achieve or at least move towards the desired results.