High-deductible health plans may contribute to racial and ethnic wealth disparities, according to a new study published in Health Affairs.

"A high-deductible plan design is more likely to rely on enrollees' wealth to facilitate health care use, whereas copayments may draw on households' income, simply because smaller copayment charges are more likely to fit within the typical household budget," the report said.

Researchers evaluated the net worth and financial assets of families with private insurance and those in high-deductible health plans with and without an associated health savings account. White households consistently held significantly more wealth than did Black and Hispanic households across income levels. In the lowest income quartile, white privately insured families had more than 350% more in financial assets than their Black counterparts.