“The savings that come with high-deductible consumer-driven health insurance plans are enticing a growing number of small businesses to offer them to their workers. But that doesn’t necessarily mean all are buying the idea of ‘consumerism,’ where consumers are encouraged to research healthcare the same way they might shop for a cell phone. At Family Medicine for McHenry County [IL], 11 out of 12 employees on the group’s insurance moved this year to a plan with a $1,500 deductible for single coverage, but it was strictly a financial decision, said Dr. Michael Lesser, a family physician with the practice. The move cut premiums by 25 percent, he said, and Family Medicine is self-insuring employees’ deductibles, so they won’t incur the out-of-pocket costs themselves.” [editor’s note: Now here is a “pil0t program” worth following up on; cf. Whole Foods - SAT] (07/30/07)