Outcome Evidence

• The share of covered workers enrolled in high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) at large employers reached 47% in 2019, a significant increase from 35% in 2018. source
• A 2017 study in the Quarterly Journal of Economics highlights a large firm that required employees to adopt an HDHP, after previously providing free health care. Reductions in spending were measured between 11.8 and 13.8 percent. This decrease in spending was found to be attributed to reduction in usage, rather than consumers seeking lower cost providers and services. source
• For the third year in a row, the percentage of companies that offer HDHPs as the sole option will decline in 2020, according to the National Business Group on Health (NBGH) survey of large employers. A quarter of the firms polled will offer these plans as the only option next year, down 14 percentage points from two years ago. source
• A 2017 systematic review published in Health Affairs has drawn the correlation between lower utilization rates and those with HDHPs, including a lower utilization of both appropriate and inappropriate care. source
• A 2019 study found chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients enrolled in high-deductible health plans are more likely to face financial strain and barriers to care, along with more ER visits and hospitalizations than those with traditional plans. source