title: The impact of a CAHPS report on employee knowledge, beliefs, and decisions.
abstract: As comparative health plan performance data become more available, large employers are increasingly interested in knowing about the value in providing this information to employees to help them choose a plan. The purpose of this study is to empirically examine some of the key assumptions about how disseminating Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Study (CAHPS) report cards may influence employee knowledge, attitudes, and choice. The study used a quasi-experimental design, with preintervention and postintervention interviews with 958 employees. The findings indicate that exposure to the reports is related to having more information on how well the different plans perform on the CAHPS reporting categories. Furthermore, those who saw the report perceive the reporting categories to be more important in health plan choice than those who did not. Finally, the findings show that those who saw the report are more influenced by information sent by their employer than those who did not see the report.
authors.affiliation: University of Oregon, USA.
authors.forename: Judith H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hibbard
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Berkman
authors.forename: Lauren A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jael
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003657:Decision Making; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000145:classification / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006302:Health Services Research; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009922:Oregon; D017149:Private Sector; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012107:Research Design; D000078329:Workforce