Many Americans with job-based health insurance will face costlier deductibles in 2015 as more large employers embrace or expand so-called consumer-directed health plans, a new survey finds.
The shift to high-deductible, consumer-directed health plans is occurring as Fortune 500 companies and large public-sector employers grapple with rising health-care and insurance costs.
“Employers are looking to put their employees in the driver’s seat” to help manage costs together, Brian Marcotte, president and CEO of the National Business Group on Health, said during a media briefing this week detailing the survey’s results.
Consumer-directed health plans feature high deductibles and low monthly premiums. These plans are typically paired with a health savings account to help employees and their dependents pay out-of-pocket medical expenses.
“The idea is that consumers will use fewer services and become more prudent purchasers since they bear more financial responsibility for their consumption,” said Caroline Pearson, a vice president at Avalere Health, a Washington, D.C.-based research and consulting firm.
DIS has advocated for smart, conscientious consumer pricing and shopping strategies as more and more people face the burden of paying for healthcare or for paying more of the share. Remember, health insurance payments don’t begin until your deductible has been fulfilled.
When recommended for an imaging exam such as an MRI, choosing DIS will save you potentially hundreds of dollars (perhaps more) as our prices and charges are far below area hospitals and their imaging affiliates. Yet, DIS delivers the quality you deserve and your doctor gets the results they need.
Why pay more for an imaging exam when you don’t have to? Ask your doctor why they would consider sending you to a hospital when you can have the same test at far less cost — without sacrificing quality.