The health insurance industry is more complex than ever before thanks to the rapid erosion of the traditional health care model, a surge in high-deductible plans and a major shift toward consumer accountability.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average deductible climbed to $1,217 in 2014 – an increase of 47 percent in just five short years. In addition, Commonwealth Fund researchers found that premiums for families with employer-funded insurance rose 73 percent while premium contributions by employees soared by 93 percent in the last decade.

The avalanche of health care choices and responsibilities has forged a new world for consumers who are not only facing ever-increasing deductibles, but also tasked with understanding a growing number of services and accounts. Consumers need to better understand all of their options, become more educated about the benefits they choose and stay fully informed about what their decisions mean for their health (and their finances).