Today’s a “suit day”; one of those increasingly-frequent days where business demands require something a bit more upscale than the usual. Today’s event is the Piper Jaffray Healthcare Investor conference in NYC, where I’m on a panel discussing Consumer-directed health care with Jeff Margolis of TriZetto and John Mills of HIP.
We’re slated to discuss the role of consumerism in healthcare’s future, in front of an audience comprised of investors and analysts.
Nov
28
I am in the minority, My personal perspective is that there is no such thing as consumer directed healthcare. I see employer directed, I see carrier directed, but true consumer directed only exists among the Uninsured. True consumerism is totally open choice, not formularies, not carved out networks for Behavioral health. Many medical illnessis have Mental health issues associated with them. How do you coordiate all of these issues with everything carved out.
Agreed. But, remember, “Consumer Directed Health” is a term created to SELL the concept, NOT to accurately describe it. A so-called “consumer” that has some “control” over an account set up by another (an employer) in which there is rarely enough money for a single MRI or a single night in most hospitals–is NOT in control. At least, no more in control than a teenager at the mall with an allowance is in “control” of the economy. A teenager’s allowance is not going to buy a house and is conditional on good behavior. CDHP is several things: (1) the latest attempt to avoid single payer; (2) a way for employers to exit the health care system; (3)a way for financial services to earn fees for managing all of the accounts they’re lusting after; however, it is definitely NOT about consumers. Remember, when consumers talk about “cost control”, they are NOT talking about controlling the cost (claims, premiums) of employers or insurers or Medicare/Medicaid. They’re talking about controlling THEIR cost: their share of the premiums (usually, a fraction of their employer’s cost); or their co-pays (usually, a fraction of the cost of a visit) or their deductibles (usually, a fraction of the total costs of an admission or a procedure).
“A word means exactly what I want it to mean, no more and no less.”– Humpty Dumpty
“A word means exactly what I want it to mean, no more and no less.”– Humpty Dumpty
Actually, it was Millard Fillmore who said that. Or, if not him, then (so long you think guessing is as good as knowing) Samuel Pepys.
Anyway, no matter who said it – or even if a real person never ever said it – it still makes your point, so the quotation is accurate. Isn’t that right?
Meanwhile consumers (real ones) are trying to gain some minimal level of control (real control) over their health care expenditures (real expenditures). Pity the best you can offer is a sneer.
My congratulations to you sir or madam, as the case may be.
…looking dapper as usual, I’m sure, Joe!
Well said Mr. First, there is little ‘direction’ to make when one has all the usual plans and schedules as the only menu to choose from.