Say I want to buy an ice cream maker. With a quick search online, I can find out whether I should buy electric or hand-crank and then I can find reviews on all the brands. Once I’ve chosen my make and model, I can search for price and in a couple of seconds, get a list ranked by cost plus shipping. I can even find out if there are any in stock at a store close by, in case I just can’t wait another day to start making ice cream.
Well, an MRI is much more expensive than an ice cream maker and (arguably) much more important. But other than a Wikipedia article, I can’t find all that much information about what the options are if I need one—and I can find almost nothing about what my options are, in my location, with my health plan.
Now I know the Internet helps me make good choices and save money when it comes to all my other purchases. So couldn’t that be true for health care spending too?
It could. Actually, it already is. On one end of the spectrum, there are dedicated human resources managers walking their employees through complicated decisions face-to-face. On the other end, high-tech companies are developing sophisticated software that can do the same thing. Online spaces where employees can shop for health care based on price, quality and the state of their own health plan are starting to save companies millions of dollars a year in health care expenses.
Some of those savings can be traced to switching to high-deductible plans. But employers figure that a sizable portion is due simply to giving consumers the information they need to get the best value for their money.
As the government continues to look for ways to put the “affordable” in the Affordable Care Act, perhaps it should consider the effect of helping consumers do some serious shopping.
Health Care Perspectives 
I decided to switch to the High Deductible Plan. I agree that as the government continues to look for ways to put the “affordable” in the Affordable Care Act, perhaps it SHOULD develop tools to help consumers, like myself, do some serious shopping. I always contribute the Maximum to my HSA Account – however, I like the idea of it growing, collecting interest and I the fact that never lose it. Trying to prepare for expenses that may come up that are “non-covered” I want to keep my balance growing and collecting interest.