Shopping for Healthcare Needs to Start Small

"We're seeing very good engagement levels," he says. "About 45% of employees are taking advantage of the information," meaning, they're switching providers to find a cheaper price. He says the company is finding about $350 a year in potential savings for the average beneficiary. That may not sound like much, but if my company hired them to find these kinds of savings for me, you can bet I would take advantage of it. So will a lot of other people.

So while shopping for healthcare has miles to go before it's really effective, baby steps like these are starting to gain traction. It's about time.