The proportion of people with employer-sponsored insurance enrolled in high-deductible health plans is similar to five years ago, according to KFF's employer health benefits survey published Oct. 18.
Twenty-nine percent of workers at employers surveyed by KFF are enrolled in a high-deductible health plan, the same percentage as in 2022 and 2018. In 2013, 20% of workers were enrolled in a high-deductible plan.
The percentage of workers enrolled in high-deductible plans peaked at 31% in 2020.
High-deductible plans are most prevalent in the Midwest, where 40% of workers are enrolled in this coverage option, and least prevalent in the West, where 20% of workers have high deductibles.
Studies have linked the plans, which typically have lower premiums than HMO or PPO options and can be paired with a health savings account to cover out-of-pocket expenses, to delayed cancer screenings, worse diabetes outcomes and increased emergency room expenses.
PPO plans remain the most common form of coverage in 2023, with 47% of workers at employers surveyed by KFF enrolled in this type of plan. Thirteen percent of workers are enrolled in HMOs, and 10% are enrolled in point-of-service plans.
KFF surveyed human resources and benefit managers at 2,133 companies. See the full survey here.