Low premiums yet big bills – why high-deductible health plans need reform
Low premiums yet big bills – why high-deductible health plans need reformThis article was originally published on The Conversation.By Betsy Q Cliff, University of Michigan and A. Mark Fendrick, University of MichiganA few years ago, we met Angie, a hair salon owner in Oregon with health insurance coverage and a stack of unpaid medical bills. She and her husband were both employed – he as a carpenter — and earned about US$45,000 a year, a bit less than the median income in their county. They were raising two children. Their health insurance had a deductible of US$4,000 for each person, capped at US$8,000 for the family, which meant they had to pay that much before benefits would kick in.Angie said she had been putting off needed medications for a chronic endocrine disorder and other medical care because they couldn’t afford to pay more on top of the [...]