Summary
Findings From the 2007 EBRI/Commonwealth Fund Consumerism in Health Care Survey: Implications for Plan Sponsors
• Survey reaction and analysis—This article provides reaction to and analysis of results from the “2007 EBRI/Commonwealth Fund Consumerism in Health Survey,” published in the March 2007 EBRI Issue Brief (online at www.ebri.org).
• SWOT analysis—Analysis focusing on “strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats” (SWOT) is often used to evaluate current or proposed approaches or situations. It is instructive to use this framework to consider whether consumer-driven health plans and high-deductible health plans are effective in managing costs and improving the health of plan participants or not. Findings from this review:
--> Strengths: The financial incentives seem to be working, if at least modestly.
--> Weaknesses: The level of participant satisfaction is much lower than for traditional health plans.
--> Opportunities: The effectiveness of these plans could be enhanced if participants were more committed and assertive in managing their health and their use of health care services.
--> Threats: Unless workers become more positive about the consumer-driven health plans meeting their needs, the enrollment may decline. The Basics of
Social Security: Updated With the 2008 Board of Trustees Report
• Latest data—The Social Security Board of Trustees released their 2008 update March 25 on short-range (10 year) and long-range (75-year) projections for the Social Security trust funds. Under intermediate assumptions, the combined OASDI trust fund expenses are expected to exceed income from taxes in 2017. By 2027, OASDI expenses are expected to exceed income from taxes plus interest income, and the trust fund is expected to be exhausted by 2041.