Consumer-driven health care got another booth recently with therelease of the latest study of health care claims and utilizationby Aetna. The study finds employers that replaced their traditionalhealth benefits plans with Aetna HealthFund consumer-directed health plans saved $21.5 million over afive-year period for every 10,000 members.

The study also shows members of CDHPs accessed more preventivecare and screenings than people with traditional preferred providerorganization plans. In addition, Aetna HealthFund plan members aremore engaged health care consumers and continue to get the carethey need.

The study, which is the longest-running review of CDHPs in theindustry, includes more than 2 million Aetna members. The studycompares people with PPOs and those with Aetna HealthFund plans,which consist of health savings accounts and health reimbursementarrangements. When compared to PPO members, HSA members used onlinetools to look up cost information nearly three times as often andtook a health assessment twice as often.