Comments on: Watch Out For New Health Coverage Programs To Offered By Your Employer for 2008 http://www.moneycrashers.com/watch-out-for-new-health-coverage-programs-to-offered-by-your-employer-for-2008/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=watch-out-for-new-health-coverage-programs-to-offered-by-your-employer-for-2008 personal finance blog Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:58:57 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: author http://www.moneycrashers.com/watch-out-for-new-health-coverage-programs-to-offered-by-your-employer-for-2008/comment-page-1/#comment-5280 author Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:08:12 +0000 http://www.moneycrashers.com/watch-out-for-new-health-coverage-programs-to-offered-by-your-employer-for-2008/#comment-5280 I am all for consumer driven health care. I think that we need to take responsibility for our own health and the health care system mess. Only WE can help control the cost of health care by being responsible with our coverage. This means only going to the doctor when we truly need to, and undergoing testing only when necessary. A high deductible allows us to take on some of the responsibility of health care so that we do not abuse the system. I am all for consumer driven health care. I think that we need to take responsibility for our own health and the health care system mess. Only WE can help control the cost of health care by being responsible with our coverage. This means only going to the doctor when we truly need to, and undergoing testing only when necessary. A high deductible allows us to take on some of the responsibility of health care so that we do not abuse the system.

]]> By: Mona Lori http://www.moneycrashers.com/watch-out-for-new-health-coverage-programs-to-offered-by-your-employer-for-2008/comment-page-1/#comment-5270 Mona Lori Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:52:26 +0000 http://www.moneycrashers.com/watch-out-for-new-health-coverage-programs-to-offered-by-your-employer-for-2008/#comment-5270 Many consumers transitioning from a first-dollar coverage plan to a consumer-driven plan with a high-deductible approach this with uncertainty. I believe consumers should take personal responsibility for their own health and included with this responsibility is making more informed choices about price and quality. I am a big fan of free-market health care solutions. In fact, when I shop for vacations, cars, electronics, hotels, and large appliances – I always research consumer recommendations. More competition and more consumer-choices will help drive down prices, encourage innovation, and improve the quality. Unfortunately, consumers do NOT have access to relevant tools that are necessary to help them make informed, cost-effective choices for finding the best value (quality and cost) for common health care services. There’s plenty of health care content out there, but no meaningful tools consumers can use to lookup costs for routine health care services, so I have started a grassroots initiative that relies on social networking to help consumers find the best value for routine health care services. The project is called, OutOfPocket.com, and includes a directory of true prices for common health care services based on actual visits by individual consumers. The website invites everyone to contribute, including the insured and insured, by anonymously posting prices they paid for routine health care services (such as MRIs, mammograms, x-rays, CT scans, vaccinations, office visits, dental and vision), along with their personal recommendations on the provider. This project benefits all consumers without having to wait for legislation to pass, complicated programs to be initiated, or waiting for the country to decide how to reform our health care system. The site was launched last month and everyone is encouraged to participate. If enough consumers participate to share prices – consumers will have created a powerful tool to help make informed healthcare purchasing decisions and everyone benefits by exposing health care prices. Consumers save money by shopping for the best value and eliminating wasteful spending on overpriced services with poor performance. Taking responsibility for your own health requires access to information and meaningful tools. Be Healthy. Mona Lori, Principal, OutOfPocket.com Many consumers transitioning from a first-dollar coverage plan to a consumer-driven plan with a high-deductible approach this with uncertainty. I believe consumers should take personal responsibility for their own health and included with this responsibility is making more informed choices about price and quality. I am a big fan of free-market health care solutions. In fact, when I shop for vacations, cars, electronics, hotels, and large appliances – I always research consumer recommendations. More competition and more consumer-choices will help drive down prices, encourage innovation, and improve the quality. Unfortunately, consumers do NOT have access to relevant tools that are necessary to help them make informed, cost-effective choices for finding the best value (quality and cost) for common health care services. There’s plenty of health care content out there, but no meaningful tools consumers can use to lookup costs for routine health care services, so I have started a grassroots initiative that relies on social networking to help consumers find the best value for routine health care services. The project is called, OutOfPocket.com, and includes a directory of true prices for common health care services based on actual visits by individual consumers. The website invites everyone to contribute, including the insured and insured, by anonymously posting prices they paid for routine health care services (such as MRIs, mammograms, x-rays, CT scans, vaccinations, office visits, dental and vision), along with their personal recommendations on the provider.

This project benefits all consumers without having to wait for legislation to pass, complicated programs to be initiated, or waiting for the country to decide how to reform our health care system. The site was launched last month and everyone is encouraged to participate. If enough consumers participate to share prices – consumers will have created a powerful tool to help make informed healthcare purchasing decisions and everyone benefits by exposing health care prices. Consumers save money by shopping for the best value and eliminating wasteful spending on overpriced services with poor performance. Taking responsibility for your own health requires access to information and meaningful tools. Be Healthy. Mona Lori, Principal, OutOfPocket.com

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