Who's Responsible For Controlling Costs?

MANAGED CARE August 2005. ©MediMedia USA

When it comes to controlling rising health care costs, consumers think the responsibility rests squarely on health insurance companies' shoulders. About 94 percent of consumers surveyed by Great-West Healthcare, a national provider of employee benefits, say that insurers are "extremely" (62 percent) or "somewhat" (32 percent) responsible for controlling costs. In contrast, one in five consumers says that the individual is extremely responsible. Employers also get some of the responsibility pie — 51 percent of consumers say employers are "somewhat" responsible and 13 percent report that employers are "extremely" responsible.