Health savings accounts and health care spending.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The impact of consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) has primarily been studied in a small number of large, self-insured employers, but this work may not generalize to the wide array of firms that make up the overall economy. The goal of our research is to examine effects of health savings accounts (HSAs) on total, medical, and pharmacy spending for a large number of small and midsized firms.

Data sources

Health plan administrative data from a national insurer were used to measure spending for 76,310 enrollees over 3 years in 709 employers. All employers began offering a HSA-eligible plan either on a full-replacement basis or alongside traditional plans in 2006 and 2007 after previously offering only traditional plans in 2005.

Study design

We employ difference

SUBMITTER: Lo Sasso AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2910568 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature