More Americans Choosing HSAs With High Deductible Plans

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Approximately 22 million Americans[1] have chosen a health savings account (HSA) coupled with a high deductible health plan (HDHP), according to a new survey from America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). These findings reflect a more than 9 percent increase in HSA/HDHP enrollment from 2016 to 2017.

A HSA is a tax-free personal savings account that allows individuals to pay for eligible medical expenses with pre-tax dollars. These accounts empower consumers to make affordable health care choices that best fit their needs. They also include tools to help enrollees manage their HSA savings, monitor their health, and get additional information about health care costs and quality.

Additional key findings include:

• The majority of responding health insurance providers – over 85 percent – offer tools to help members manage their health and finances, including online access to account information, health and wellness resources, and cost and quality data.

• 64 percent of respondents gave enrollees access to broker consultations.

• Nearly 60 percent of respondents employed a health advocate to consult with their HSA members.

“The increase in popularity of these plans tells an important story about consumer-centric care,” said Jeanette Thornton, AHIP Senior Vice President of Product, Employer, and Commercial Policy. “More than ever, patients want value from their coverage, choice in their health services, and control of dollars they spend on care.”

Given the increase in enrollment of these HSA-eligible plans, additional policy actions should be taken to better meet consumer needs. For instance, the Chronic Disease Management Act, currently before Congress, would allow insurance providers the flexibility to cover care for many chronic conditions before a patient reaches their deductible. Such care may include common and necessary treatments such as asthma inhalers, insulin, anti-depressants and/or mental health treatment.

Additional HSA/HDHP policy recommendations along with the full survey, methodology, and findings can be found here.

About AHIP

America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) is the national trade association representing the health insurance community. AHIP’s members provide health and supplemental benefits to millions of Americans through employer-provided coverage, the individual insurance market, and public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. AHIP advocates for solutions that expand access to affordable health care coverage to all Americans through a competitive marketplace that fosters choice, quality, and innovation. Visit www.ahip.org for more information.

[1] The survey is based on responses from both AHIP-member and non-member plans, and does not account for enrollees in HSA-eligible plans that did not report.