Families Covered by High Deductible Health Insurance Plans Spent 14% Less Than Families With Lower Deductibles

Among people enrolled in employer-sponsored high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) in 2004 and 2005, families with deductibles of at least $1,000 per person spent about 14% less on health care than families with lower deductibles (ranging from $500 to $999 per person) during the first year they were covered by the HDHP. The reduction in spending by families with deductibles higher than $1,000 per person was associated with lower utilization of preventive care services—even though the preventive services were not subject to the deductible—compared to families with lower per-person deductibles. For example, vaccination rates . . .