One of the most persistent arguments used to debunk the underlying premise of consumer-directed health plans is that "the average Joe" is not going to make the effort to become informed about cost and quality, nor will he make the effort to make adjustments to his lifestyle to improve his health status.

Without this critical mass, the critics argue, the market will not be influenced in any material way and overall costs will continue to increase, quality will fail to improve, and people will continue to need expensive care to treat preventable conditions.

While a great deal of effort has already gone into creating educational materials and providing various tools for general price and quality comparisons, the fact is shopping for gall bladder surgery is just not as fun as shopping for a new car.

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