INDIANAPOLIS, IND. (AP) — With only about 572,000 members enrolled in its own consumer-directed health plans, Hartford-based Aetna Inc remains a peripheral player in a market that other competitors are eyeing with lofty goals. For example, Wellpoint, the nation’s largest health insurance company is looking to expand its consumer-driven health plans to 27 million customers as part of a broad offering across the country that shifts away from traditional coverage.

The move, which comes as corporate America desperately seeks alternatives to curtail health insurance spending, requires workers to take more responsibility for their medical care in the hopes of reducing frivolous health spending.

The plans, which often include health-savings accounts and have high deductibles, are based on the premise that people are less likely to choose expensive treatments if they could spend less out-of-pocket for a cheaper option.

“It’s all really designed to make you a more engaged consumer,” said Jason Gorevic, president of Wellpoint’s New York market who is spearheading the initiative. “We know that if you’re more involved in your health care — if you’re acting as more of a conscientious health care consumer — it’ll be better for your health.”

And, Wellpoint says, it could also be better on a pocketbook. The company estimates the average individual could save $400 a year on the new program, factoring in tax benefits and company participation incentives.

But not everyone is convinced the concept is flush with savings.

Despite increased interest in the program — Wellpoint says three-quarters of its January inquiries from national companies wanted information on consumer-directed plans — some customers have been slow to sign up.

“When employees have a choice of a consumer-driven health plan and other traditional health benefit plans, take up has been pretty low,” said Alwyn Cassil, a spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Studying Health System Change.

“Maybe they do the math and they decide it’s not such a great deal for them,” she said. “The only place these are getting real traction in the employer group market is when they are basically a total replacement and you have no choice.”

Still, 28 percent of companies surveyed this year said they are offering consumer-directed plans, up from 22 percent in 2005, according to a study of 434 employers released in June by Aon Consulting and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists.

Industry predictions put consumer-driven plans at 25 percent of the total health insurance market by 2010.

Wellpoint and Aetna are not the only companies to venture into the realm of consumer-driven health plans.

It should be noted that Wellpoint must still receive state regulatory approval for the expanded program. Mr Gorevic said the plan’s rollout should be completed by the end of 2007.