How high is too high?: Implications of high-deductible health plans

How high is too high?: Implications of high-deductible health plans

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Contributor(s):
Davis, Karen.
Doty, Michelle M.
Ho, Alice.
Commonwealth Fund.
Publication:
[New York, N.Y.] : Commonwealth Fund, [2005]
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Deductibles and Coinsurance -- economics
Insurance Coverage -- economics
Insurance, Health -- economics
Health Benefit Plans, Employee -- economics
Health Care Costs
Health Services Accessibility -- economics
Medical Savings Accounts -- economics
Medically Uninsured
Poverty
Taxes
United States
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
The move toward high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) was given impetus by 2003 legislation granting tax preferences to funds set aside to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses conditional on enrollment in a plan having a minimum deductible of $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for families. The major purported advantages of HDHPs are that they will a) lower health care costs by causing patients to be more cost-conscious, and b) make insurance premiums more affordable for the uninsured. This report, based on the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey (2003), finds that such plans are unlikely to have a substantial effect on either costs or coverage. Furthermore, HDHPs can undermine the basic purposes of health insurance: to reduce financial barriers to needed care and protect against financial hardship. The authors suggest legislative modifications to protect lower-wage adults and ensure access to early preventive and primary care.
Copyright:
Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
101255032 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101255032