Anthem rolls out consumer driven health products

The company first announced in August its plans to make consumer-driven health plan products available to small and large businesses. Prior to the change, which was completed Jan. 1, such products were only available to national employers’ members.

Anthem is now offering health reimbursement accounts, health savings accounts and health incentive accounts from Lumenos as its core consumer-driven health products. Each is designed to give customers more control of their health care costs, and to encourage them to make healthier choices.

Early data about consumer-driven health products suggest healthier behaviors by individuals who are enrolled in a health reimbursement account plan.

Specifically, in a recent study by McKinsey & Co., consumer-driven health plan participants were found to be:

• 25 percent more likely to engage in healthy behaviors than those enrolled in traditional health plans;

• 30 percent more likely to get an annual checkup; and

• 50 percent more likely to ask about cost.

Extensive preventive care and personal health coaching for health issues such as smoking cessation and weight management are included with the consumer-driven products, and most consumers will receive financial rewards for completing various wellness programs.

“Our customers who choose these consumer-driven products will have new opportunities to lead healthier lives,” said Dennis Matheis, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Missouri, in a news release.

Anthem’s consumer-driven health products combine employee- and/or employer-funded health accounts with traditional preferred provider organization health coverage. Each is paired with online decision support tools and personal health coaching that can be used to learn more about health care treatment and cost options.

“We’re providing our consumers with information-rich Web-based tools that they can use to research prescription drug prices (and) estimated costs of care,” Matheis said.[[In-content Ad]]