HC Statistics Health Insurance

HDHP on the rise

High deductible health plans (HDHP) are on the rise. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation 2015 Employer Health Benefits Survey, 25 percent of all covered workers have an HDHP in 2015, up from just 8% in 2009.

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For small firms, 69% of workers have a deductible of $1,000 or more compared to only 39% of workers employed at large firms. Moreover:

…the average deductible for all covered workers in 2015 is $1,077, up 67% from $646 in 2010 and 255% from $303 in 2006.

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Most workers (99%) have a plan that covers prescription drugs and most workers (94%) are in plans that cover specialty drugs, but 81% have plans that use three or more drug tiers to determine patient copayment amounts.

Among workers with plans with three or more tiers, the average copayments in these plans are $11 for first tier drugs, $31 for second tier drugs, $54 for third tier drugs, and $93 for fourth tier drugs. HDHP/SOs have a somewhat different cost sharing pattern for prescription drugs than other plan types; just 61% of covered workers are enrolled in a plan with three or more tiers of cost sharing, 12% are in plans that pay the full cost of prescriptions once the plan deductible is met, and 22% are in a plan with the same cost sharing for all prescription drugs.

Whether or not a firm offers health insurance depends largely on firm size.  As of 2015, 54% of workers in firms of size 3-49 people being offered insurance, 89% of workers in firms with 50-99 people being offered insurance, and 97% of individuals working in firms of 100 or more being offered insurance.

1 Comment

  1. Not sure what planet your on, but I haven’t seen a $1,000 deductible in 4-5 years. I have been an insurance broker for the past 30 years and now most small employers have a $5,000 or more deductible!

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