Participation in high-deductible health plans and health flexible spending accounts grew at a strong pace, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The findings in “Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, January–March 2013” suggest that employees’ interests in consumer-directed health plans is growing, information employers may find useful in designing and administering their benefits plans.
Enrollment in HDHPs by participants in employer-provided health plans nearly doubled in five years, growing from 17.1 percent in 2008 to 30.3 percent in the first quarter of this year, NCHS says. Note: HDHP participation is necessary before an individual can establish a health savings account.
Participation in health FSAs grew during that time as well, although not by as great a rate. NCHS found that that 18.7 percent of health plan participants contributed to a health FSA, and 22.8 percent did so in the first quarter of 2013. This growth took place even though effective Jan. 1, 2013, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act limits the amount an employee can set aside in a health FSA annually to no more than $2,500.
NCHS suggests that these findings may be attributable to the health care reform law’s extension of coverage through parental health plans to adult children up to age 26. It found that in the first quarter of 2013, 56.9 percent of those age 19-26 have health coverage, whereas 51 percent did in 2010.
NCHS is a federal government health statistics agency that compiles information to guide actions and policies to improve public health.