High-deductible health care plans have becomeincreasingly popular in recent years, but new research suggeststhat participants may be confused about their benefits.
|Researchers at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis(IUPUI) conducted a systematic review of the relationship betweenHDHPs and use of health care services.The results of the study, tobe published this month in Health Affairs journal, examined andcomplied the findings of 28 other studies. Overall, use ofmedical services was down among HDPH plan participants, but thatalso included routine health services such as wellness visits andcancer screenings.
|"For high-deductible health plans to work in the ideal, patientsneed to be educated on the fact that preventive care does notusually incur out-of-pocket costs in these types of plans," saysNir Menachemi, one of the paper’s authors. "Traditional insuranceplans shield patients from all of the financial decisions that aremade. The fact that you are shielded financially from health caredecisions makes you potentially more likely to over-consumeservices, which raises the average of care for everyone andincreases premiums for everyone."
|While one of the goals of HDHP plans is to encourage consumersto make more cost-conscious health care decisions, theresults of the study suggest that patients still need some guidanceon making the best use of the services offered under suchplans.
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Emily Payne
Emily Payne is director, content analytics for ALM's Business & Finance Markets and former managing editor for BenefitsPRO. A Wisconsin native, she has spent the past decade writing and editing for various athletic and fitness publications. She holds an English degree and Business certificate from the University of Wisconsin.
