Your employer and President Barack Obama are imploring you to become a better health care consumer. They want everyone to take a more active role in his or her care because it's vital to help slow the seemingly perpetual rise of health care expenses.

A growing number of companies offer high-deductible health plans that make their employees pay more for care out of pocket.

Some workers also are finding that the cost of their coverage now is tied to the quality of their health or whether they smoke.

President Obama's health care overhaul promises to provide insurance coverage to millions of Americans. But the uninsured first have to figure out which plan suits them best.

Becoming a better health care consumer shouldn't require prodding because it can put more money in your pocket and keep big medical bills at bay. Here are four key principles to keep in mind.

Numbers matter

Many companies now provide biometric screening to their employees, and it's not a bad idea to take them up on the offer. This involves measuring variables such as body weight, cholesterol and blood pressure that can tell you whether you're at risk for developing heart disease or other problems.

Companies do this in part because they want their workers to nip health problems before they become full-blown and costly medical emergencies such as a heart attack or diabetes. That means finding the right cholesterol drug or figuring out an exercise plan that helps you drop a few pounds and leave the cardiac risk zone.

Businesses frequently hire outside firms to coordinate these tests, so your boss won't know your individual test results, but the company may get data showing the averages for those covered under their plans.

Knowledge pays

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4 tips for savvy health care shopping