The consumer-driven approach: defining and measuring success.

Employers' reluctance to implement consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) is at least in part due to their not understanding how to define and measure the success of CDHPs. To assist employers, the authors define potential points of success for CDHPs in the areas of consumer engagement, consumer financial considerations and employee health and productivity. They then offer ways of measuring success in those areas, as well as in the area of employer cost control.

The consumer-driven approach: can it pick up where managed care left off?

Managed care has failed and health care costs are once again out of control. Given the current political, social and economic environment, there are now two options: a single-payer health care system, or an aggressive and global employer health benefits redesign that strongly encourages consumer-driven behavior. This article discusses the failure of managed care and ways that employers can promote consumer-driven behavior now using available tools and plan provisions.