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Health Insurance Benefit Design

Research Brief

Consumer-Directed Plans Could Cut Health Costs Sharply, but Also Discourage Preventive Care

Switching to a consumer-directed health plan (CDHP) could save families 20 percent or more on their health care costs. Families with CDHPs initiate less episodes of care and spend less per episode, however, they also tend to scale back on high-value preventive care, such as child vaccinations.

Jun 28, 2012
Blog

Expanding Consumer-Directed Health Plans Could Help Cut Overall Health Care Spending

If consumer-directed health plans grow to account for half of all employer-sponsored insurance in the United States, health costs could drop by $57 billion annually—about 4 percent of all health care spending among the nonelderly.

Jun 1, 2012
News Release

Expanding Consumer-Directed Health Plans Could Help Cut Overall Health Care Spending

If consumer-directed health plans grow to account for half of all employer-sponsored insurance in the United States, health costs could drop by $57 billion annually—about 4 percent of all health care spending among the nonelderly.

May 7, 2012
Journal Article

Expanding Consumer-Directed Health Plans Could Help Cut Overall Health Care Spending

If consumer-directed health plans grow to account for half of all employer-sponsored insurance in the United States, health costs could drop by $57 billion annually—about 4 percent of all health care spending among the nonelderly.

May 1, 2012
Journal Article

Survey Results Show That Adults Are Willing to Pay Higher Insurance Premiums for Generous Coverage of Specialty Drugs

This study estimated how healthy people value insurance coverage of specialty drugs, defined as high-cost drugs that treat cancer and other serious health conditions like multiple sclerosis, by quantifying willingness to pay via a survey.

Apr 1, 2012
News Release

Consumers May Have More Control Over Health Care Costs Than Previously Thought

The historic RAND Health Insurance Experiment found that patients had little or no control over their health care spending once they began to receive a physician's care, but this has changed for those enrolled in consumer-directed health plans.

Sep 29, 2011
News Release

High-Deductible Health Plans Pose No Special Risks to Medically Vulnerable Populations

People who are medically vulnerable -- those with low incomes or chronic health problems -- who enroll in high-deductible health plans are at no more risk for cutting back on needed health care than other people who enroll in the plans.

Apr 18, 2011
Journal Article

Largest Study of High-Deductible Health Plans Finds Substantial Cost Savings, but Less Preventive Care

The largest-ever assessment of high-deductible health plans finds that while such plans significantly cut health spending, they also prompt patients to cut back on preventive health care.

Mar 1, 2011
Commentary

Obama's Health Plan: New Federal Role for Insurance Regulation

In general, health insurance premiums are set at a level that will cover the expected payouts for insured people plus profit. To provide a context for understanding price increases, this document identifies the factors that insurance companies consider when setting rates for the next year, writes Elizabeth ...

Feb 22, 2010
Report

Feasibility and Design Options for a Potential Entity to Research the Comparative Effectiveness of Medical Treatments

The options available to Massachusetts as it considers establishing a comparative effectiveness center to guide health care purchasing decisions are feasible, but design decisions depend on the prioritization of comparative effectiveness research.

Jan 15, 2010
Report

Modify Federal Tax Code to Create Incentives for Individuals to Obtain Coverage

This document explores how a refundable tax credit to offset the cost of health insurance premiums would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.

Jan 8, 2010
Report

Ease Medicaid/SCHIP Eligibility Rules

This document explores how expanding Medicaid/SCHIP eligibility would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.

Jan 8, 2010
Report

Increase the Use of "Bundled" Payment Approaches

This document explores how increased use of bundled payment approaches would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.

Jan 8, 2010
Report

Require Employers to Offer Coverage

This document explores how requiring employers to offer health insurance (an employer mandate) would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.

Jan 8, 2010
Report

Require Individuals to Obtain Coverage

This document explores how requiring individuals to obtain health insurance (an individual mandate) would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.

Jan 8, 2010
Report

Create or Expand Access to Purchasing Pools

This document explores how creating or expanding access to purchasing pools would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.

Oct 12, 2009
Report

Increase Cost-Participation by Employees (e.g., Through High-Deductible Health Plans)

This document explores how increased cost participation by employees would affect health system performance along nine dimensions.

Oct 12, 2009
Report

Open Access to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP)

This document explores how expanding access to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) would affect health system performance along nine performance dimensions.

Oct 12, 2009
Journal Article

High-deductible Health Plans and Better Benefit Design

Advocates of high-deductible health plans, which shift more of the cost of care to individuals, believe that consumers will more carefully assess the balance of health care benefits versus costs, ultimately improving efficiency and quality of care.

May 1, 2008
News Release

Prescription Spending Caps Cause Some Seniors to Quit Taking Medicines for Chronic Illnesses

Many seniors quit taking drugs for chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure when they exceed their drug plan's yearly spending limits.

Sep 11, 2007

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RAND Health Care