MANAGED CARE November 2008. ©MediMedia USA
How ready are primary care physicians to talk to patients about cost and quality when high-deductible health plans are involved? A national sample of PCPs suggests that they have limited knowledge and are not ready to advise patients about cost and medical budgeting.
Of the 528 respondents to the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program survey, 40 percent of PCPs had CDHP enrollees in their practices. Forty-three percent of physicians reported low knowledge of CDHP cost sharing, and about one-third reported low knowledge of how medical savings accounts function. Overall, physicians with CDHP enrollees in their practices had higher knowledge than physicians without these patients; however, 1 in 4 of these providers reported low knowledge of CDHP cost sharing.
Physicians with CDHP enrollees in their practices had more knowledge, in general, about CDHPs
Source: Mallya G, Pollack CE, Polsky D. Are primary care physicians ready to practice in a consumer-driven environment? Am J Man Care. 2008;14(10):661–668.