Further, 39 percent said they recognized that their health coverage would provide sufficient security in the event of a serious accident or illness.

The difficulty in making the “right choice” is driven by the desire to stick with the known, the survey showed.

“Workers’ concerns about their inability to meet health care-related financial obligations don’t necessarily translate into how they choose a health insurance plan,” the report stated. “Nearly one-third (30 percent) of workers say monthly premiums are the most important factor when selecting their major medical plan each year, while almost 1 in 4 (23 percent) state that they are most concerned with whether their doctors/health providers participate in the plan.”

So that’s more than half of workers allowing the premium payment and the desire to stick with practitioners they know steer them away from looking more closely at what the HDHP coverage may truly cost them.

“Nearly half (46 percent) of employees selected a major medical/health insurance plan with a high deductible of $1,000 or more last year, up from 34 percent who said the same in 2014,” Aflac said.

While that may not be a strong indicator that folks are beginning to understand the true cost of an HDHP, it must be stated that more employers than ever are offering, and promoting, such plans to keep their own costs down.

“By spending more time researching their options so they better understand what the insurance plan pays for and what they’re liable for, consumers can make better choices and be better prepared for a serious health event,” said Matthew Owenby, senior vice president, chief human resources officer at Aflac. “Employers can help too by providing additional options like a health savings account and voluntary insurance to help employees pay for the deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs.”