CDHPs -- Perhaps I Was Always Correct

It's been more than one year since I wrote my not exactly seminal piece on Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHPs). In it, I said that insureds forego lots of important medical care, not because they are making a well-considered consumer decision, but because they simply can't afford it. While I don't think anyone posted in the comment section of my blog, several experts told me privately how misguided my thoughts were. They told me how quality of care is increasing as consumers of medical care make wise choices.

Now we have a study published by the Rand Corporation working with researchers from Towers Watson and the University of Southern California. The way I read it, even if the quality of care, when care is sought, is improving, necessary preventive care is sought less often. In my opinion, it's because of one of these factors:

• Consumers can't afford to pay the costs.
• Consumers have experienced too many situations in CDHPs where they thought a particular test was covered by their plan as part of well care, but either it's not or it's not fully covered.
• Consumers have no idea if they can afford the costs, but dealing with the health plan's "Customer No Service" Department is just too painful.
• Their physician can't figure out whether the test is covered.

From the same study, reading from Figure 4, we see the following reductions in preventive care under CDHPs:

• 3.7% for Glucose Level
• 4.2% for Lipid Profile
• 4.9% for Cervical Cancer
• 2.8% for Mammogram
• 2.9% for Colorectal Cancer

I am not saying here that the CDHPs, in an of themselves cause these declines in preventive care, but there certainly does seem to be a correlation. Personally, I know that I am entitled to one physical per year under the employer-sponsored CDHP in which I participate. Frankly, I've been in a plan of that sort for most of the last 6 or 7 years. Of the tests listed above, some are fully covered by the plan, some are partially covered, and some don't seem to be covered at all. 

I don't recall which one it was, but for one of those tests, when I called the health plan, I was told that reasonable and customary (R&C) costs were covered. After they paid R&C costs, I was left with a $200+ bill.

Is my physician particularly expensive? I don't think so. He is an in-network provider. Am I in a particularly high cost of medical care geography? I'm pretty sure that's not the case. Did I do something wrong? Not that I can tell.

The good news is that I am in a pretty well-paid profession and I can afford my share of the costs of these tests. But, especially in a bad economy, many people can't. 

The evidence tells me that CDHPs are not working the way they are intended to. But, employer costs are coming down. So, we are probably stuck with these plans. Lucky us.