Consumer-driven health care has been in the headlines for some time now, and there's no doubt the idea has gained significant traction. Despite ongoing heated debates about regulation and health care reform, most benefits professionals can agree that a key to driving down cost is creating better health care consumers.
As part of our marketing and sales tips series, we asked for strategies and ideas to bolster consumer knowledge and help them to do the right thing. Here are the 10 tips we liked best.
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Related: 10 tips for benefits enrollment
Do you have some others? Sound off in the comments below.
1. More is better.
"What employers are seeking is simple — quality benefits and a way to lower costs. Offering a self-funded plan with complementary voluntary benefit products and solutions allows employers to take advantage of multiple opportunities while providing more options for their employees." Steve Horvath, vice president, CoreSource, and Dan Johnson, vice president, Trustmark Voluntary Benefit Solutions
2. A winning combo
A well-designed consumer-drive health plan creates a win-win scenario. Employers hold the line on costs, and employees pay only for the coverage they need and want.
3. Empowering consumers
"If we want to encourage an army of shoppers, we need to use a hybrid of online and offline approaches, including: incentives that give people a financial reason to seek better value care, websites that help consumers understand the intersection of cost and quality, and value coaches who provide concierge service by phone." Heyward Donigan, president & CEO, Vitals
4.Small biz success
"Many larger employers invest in benefits for the long haul, but some small business owners consider decisions about benefits one-off occurrences. The successful broker helps small business owners see benefits as one part of a strategic vision for future growth and success, rather than one item to check off the to-do list." James Reid, executive vice president, group, voluntary & worksite products, MetLife
5. Protection
"Recommend specific benefits — like disability insurance — that help clients protect their income, their ability to save, and their future." Bruce Hentschel, strategy development, specialty benefits division of the Principal Financial Group
6. Better benefits, lower cost.
Consider high-performing networks or direct primary care to maintain or improve benefits while cutting costs.
7. Educate and engage.
"For the vision of consumer-directed health care to be fully realized, it is imperative that employers and benefit providers do not overlook the critical importance of education and targeted engagement to empower better decision making." Steven G. Auerbach, CEO, Alegeus
8. Work toward alignment.
"When employers, employees (aka, patients), insurance carriers and health care professionals create a greater degree of alignment, share data and focus on value and outcomes, the result will be improved health, lower cost, and higher patient satisfaction." Reed Smith, senior vice president, CoBiz Insurance
9. Active participants, transparent marketplace.
"It's not that consumers won't shop online for health care like they do for most other things — it's just not easy enough … yet. It's about creating a transparent marketplace where quality and cost are known entities. It's about getting providers to renegotiate rates and address quality concerns. And it's about making all consumers — not just those savvy enough to shop online — active participants in this system." Heyward Donigan, president & CEO, Vitals
10. Consumers need your help.
"People want to do the right thing, but they encounter barriers along the way. Online health tools have to recognize and overcome those barriers. Consumers need help opening the box." Keith Roberts, vice president of engagement, Change Healthcare
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