Benefits January 8, 2004

College Educated Males Favor Consumer-Directed Health Plans

January 8, 2004 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Consumers looking at a consumer-directed health plan option are between 46 and 49 years old with a college degree.
Reported by

Those seeking out a CDHP option were primarily male, and earned an average income of $54,036 to $58,158 a year. Most of this group (56% – 61%) describe themselves as a technology optimist with even more (63% – 74%) saying they are online at least monthly, according to data supplied by Forrester Research.

More than a quarter (26% – 29%) of the group likely to choose a CDHP are already comparing doctors’ and hospitals’ quality and 16% – 20% compare the prices.

Demographic trends emerged following the study conducted by Forrester. In addition to age and education levels, the group found 32% of this group shopped for the best price on prescription drugs, while 25% – 30% sought medical treatment not covered by their current insurance.

On the other side, those consumers most likely to pass on the CDHP option are 50 year or older, with only 23% – 26% having a college degree. Most of this group was female (52%) and earned between $51,788 and $52,169 a year. Unlike their CDHP seeking counterparts, most of this group (44% – 45%) did not consider themselves a technology optimist and a smaller total (60% – 69%) were online at least monthly. Fewer of them (25%) also shopped for the best prices on prescription medications and (20% – 22%) sought medical treatment not covered by insurance.

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