Problems in Health Care Today
Health care costs are unaffordable for both you and your health plan members, and continue to rise. One of the main issues with current benefit plan designs is that they do not adequately address the problems that drive up costs. Most plan designs focus only on reducing the symptoms of high costs in an effort to achieve short-term savings. Solutions such as cost shifting to employees (i.e., asking employees to pay more and/or reducing benefits) are ultimately not a viable long-term solution for the employer or the employee. At some point, cost-sharing will discourage employees from seeking recommended and needed prevention services, thereby leading to worse outcomes and increased costs. Employers must find a way to engage plan members and help them become better consumers who take more responsibility for their health.
The Solution
It’s all about Behavior Change! Our programs support benefit designs that emphasize the importance of member communication, appropriate and trackable health activities and incentives to improve health outcomes. Consumer-Driven Health Plans (CDHP) are good as long as they do not hinder necessary care. However, because these plans are based on a model of cost-shifting to employees, essential care is often foregone. Similarly, the focus on increasing access in hopes of improving health taken by Value-Based Health Plans (VBHP) is great in concept, but how do you know if it is actually driving improved health?
Abacus has applied the principles of self-management to innovative Consumer-Driven Health Plan Designs (the Good Health GatewaySM Benefit Program) and the next generation of Value-Based Benefit Plan Designs.