By TRACEY DRURY
tdrury@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1609

Western New Yorkers are more engaged in their health care than typical health plan members in other parts of the country, according to two new studies.

Independent Health commissioned two separate studies to determine what role area residents play in their own health outcomes, taking into account national health-care reform efforts.

The survey results show consumers from the region appear well-prepared to continue their role in reform efforts by taking charge of their personal health.

The first study, the DSS Health Care Engagement Index, found that Western New Yorkers were 38 percent more fully engaged or involved in their health care than typical health plan members nationally.

Additionally, the findings indicate the proportion of Independent Health customers designated as "engaged" or "involved" in their health care is larger than customers served by competing carriers.

The second study, sponsored by Independent Health and conducted by Thoroughbred Research Group, found Western New Yorkers increasingly realize the impact of unhealthy behaviors on overall health-care costs. Of commercial consumers polled, 65.3 percent cite unhealthy lifestyles as having an impact on rising costs. That's up from 58.2 percent last year.

In prepared comments, Dr. Michael Cropp, president and CEO at Independent Health, called the findings very encouraging.

"As the health-care law continues its role in the national discussion leading up to the November 2012 elections, Western New Yorkers have shown an increased understanding of the responsibility every consumer has in changing the course of health-care costs," he said.

Independent Health says the survey results also draw parallels between Western New Yorkers' understanding of health-care reform and their understanding of the role of consumers in the health-care system. Those who say they understand the reform act provisions are also more likely to acknowledge the responsibility of consumers to maintain their own health - a key component to lowering health-care utilization and costs.

The survey included 500 telephone interviews conducted in late April and early May by Thoroughbred Research Group of Louisville, Ky., of local consumers of commercial and Medicare health plans, with the data weighted to better represent the local population.