title: Consumer-driven health care: the future is now.
abstract: Given that managed care seems to have run its course, employers are forced to deal with escalating health care costs by reducing benefits and lowering pay--or are they? Why not bring the power of the responsible, informed consumer to health care? Consumer-driven health care offers a new, economically rational direction that can simultaneously address the needs of both employers and employees. This article reviews the factors leading to the need for consumer-driven health care and describes the characteristics and benefits of its current and next generations of development.
authors.forename: Ronald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Bachman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000191:economics*; D017047:Cost Sharing; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D019461:Employee Retirement Income Security Act; D017049:Employer Health Costs; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019981:Health Care Sector / Q000639:trends; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000191:economics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011157:Population Dynamics; D014481:United States