High-deductible health plans more common

Consumer Reports offers advice to afford health expenses

SAN ANTONIO – More and more people are signing up for high-deductible health insurance plans. Some are swayed by the lower monthly premiums, but often people don’t have a choice. A quarter of all employers offering insurance now only have plans with high deductibles.

If you’re forced into a high-deductible plan, how can you afford the care you need?

First, use the tool on your insurance company’s website to check prices of treatments and procedures. The differences between providers can be enormous.

Also, consider opening a health savings account. That’s an account where you put in pretax dollars, which you can use to pay your deductibles and other qualified health care expenses. And that is money that, if you don’t spend it all this year, you can use next year too.

Be aware that a lot of preventive health services, such as colonoscopies and vaccinations, are free and don’t count toward your deductible.

If you are skipping medical care because you can’t afford the out-of-pocket costs, Consumer Reports recommends talking to your doctor. Doctors can often help you find less-expensive prescriptions, diagnostic tests and other health services.


About the Author:

Marilyn Moritz is an award-winning journalist dedicated to digging up information that can make people’s lives a little bit better. As KSAT’S 12 On Your Side Consumer reporter, she focuses on exposing scams and dangerous products and helping people save money.