A large number of workers are struggling with out-of-pocket costs within high-deductible health plans, but many are also not aware of supplemental plans that can augment those costs, according to the Securian Benefits Survey July 2017.
KRC Research surveyed 573 adults in group plans on behalf of Securian Financial Group, and found that one-third (31 percent) of those with employer-provided health insurance report having paid or know a family member who has paid an unexpected out-of-pocket medical expense in the past five years caused by a critical illness such as cancer, a heart attack or a stroke.
Sixty-one percent say the costs were manageable, but a quarter (27 percent) say the costs set them back financially, and 12 percent say they could not afford the out-of-pocket costs and have not yet paid the bills. Meanwhile, 12 percent say they do not know how they would pay a $500 out-of-pocket expense in the future, and 21 percent are not sure how they would pay a $5,000 expense.
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Katie Kuehner-Hebert
Katie Kuehner-Hebert is a freelance writer based in Running Springs, Calif. She has more than three decades of journalism experience, with particular expertise in employee benefits and other human resource topics.
