Multiple Choice Health Insurance: The Lessons and Challenge to Private Insurers

A health policy consultant with 20 years of experience in public and private health insurance, and particularly multiple choice systems, suggests the evidence is in on our national effort to contain costs through competition, HMOs, and multiple choice health plans. Specifically, we have learned that 1) multiple choice plans are not containing costs for employers, 2) while group and staff model HMOs contain costs, few have cut employers' costs in multiple choice health plans, and 3) group and staff model HMOs' capacity to contain costs has not been matched by insurers' managed care plans. Three options for insurers and HMOs to offer employers are outlined. The options are aimed at changing the behavior of providers so they offer lower cost health care.