Looking beyond health reform: the future of consumer-focused health care

The prevalence of the consumer-driven approach to health care will dramatically increase in the years ahead. This article first looks at the ongoing health reform debate to see the limited impact it will have on consumer-driven health care. It also looks at the current limits of the reform conversation, within the context of several societal trends that will collectively drive the longer-term development of consumer-driven plans. While health reform may tinker around the edges of what tools are available, these broader trends all point toward greater and greater consumer involvement in both health and health care. At issue is whether the current consumer-driven model can adapt to accommodate these changes.