Health savings account enrollment jumps 26% in large group plans
Almost 14 million people were enrolled in a health savings account (HSA) as of January, a growth of 18 percent from last year and an almost 50 percent increase since 2008, according to the 2012 census released Wednesday by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).
Since HSAs always are paired with high-deductible health plans, which charge at least $1,200 for individuals and $2,400 for families, the HSA growth demonstrates that employers continue to drive workers toward such high-cost health coverage. Indeed, most of the new enrollment occurred in large employer-based plans, reported Kaiser Health News.
HSA enrollment increased 26 percent to almost 8 million among large group plan members, while enrollment rose almost 9 percent in the small group market and nearly 5 percent in the individual market, LifeHealthPro reported.
Vermont recorded the highest enrollment, with almost 20 percent of its residents belonging to an HSA. Minnesota (14 percent) and Montana (12 percent) had the next highest enrollment. On the other side of the spectrum, only 0.3 percent of Hawaiians are enrolled in a HSA, followed by Alabama with 1.3 percent and Mississippi at 1.6 percent, according to Workforce Management.
To learn more:
- see the AHIP 2012 census
- read the Kaiser Health News article
- see the LifeHealthPro article
- check out the Workforce Management article
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