United Healthcare plan offers consumers ability to "buy down" the premium

[mmat...@hin.com]

Curious to get the group's feedback on the new plan - Vital
MeasuresSM, launched by United Healthcare, which allows individuals
and families who meet or exceed certain health benchmarks to earn
credits toward lowering their deductibles and reduce their out-of-
pocket health care expenses.

In order to qualify for a deductible credit, the participating
employee takes an online health assessment (available at www.uhc.com)
and is then screened to determine if benchmarks are met for body mass
index, blood pressure, LDL ("bad") cholesterol and non-nicotine use.
If the benchmarks are met or exceeded, the employee receives credits
toward his or her deductible for that plan year.
http://www.uhc.com/newsroom/newsreleases/vitalmeasureshelpsreducehealthcareexpenses.htm

Critics of the plan say that it does not comply with the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which limits total
rewards for wellness programs:
http://www.financialweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070827/REG/70823015/1036

What's your view on this plan? Will it pass federal muster?

Thanks in advance for your insight,

Melanie Matthews

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melanie Matthews
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Healthcare Intelligence Network
(888) 446-3530
1913 Atlantic Avenue Suite F4
Manasquan, NJ 08736
www.hin.com
mmat...@hin.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Bill]

Since I am not an attorney, nor do I play one on TV, whether United
Healthcare's plan passes HIPAA muster or not is a question I will
leave to the attorneys, my colleagues in the Federal government and
the courts. What I would find odd is that United Healthcare would
roll out a product like this without first seeking guidance from legal
counsel since the health insurance business is so highly regulated.

Whether I think it passes muster or not is of little consequence.
What I think is even more critical though is that the United
Healthcare plan once again points out:

1. The important role financial based incentives play in health
related behavior change
2. That employers who provide health insurance coverage are going to
continue and probably escalate their attempts to find strategies to
better control their health insurance costs. As a result, the
insurance carriers are going to keep coming up with alternative plans
and strategies to try and respond to employer demands
3. Worksite wellness/health management programs are increasingly going
to become based on and driven by outcomes based models

William McPeck
Certified Worksite Wellness Program Consultant
Work-Life Certified Professional
Director, Employee Health and Safety
Maine State Government
207-287-6783 (voice)
207-287-6796 (fax)
william....@maine.gov