Breaking Down Health Plans, HSAs, AI With Paul Fronstin of EBRI
Featured in this latest episode of Tuning In to the C-Suite podcast is Paul Fronstin, director of health benefits research at EBRI, who shed light on the evolving landscape of health benefits with editors of Managed Healthcare Executive.
Paul Fronstin, director of health benefits research at EBRI, recently explained to MHE editors how health benefits are changing and why it's important.
Today, it's a challenge for employers to design health plans that encourage people to pick better, high-value care.
Fronstin
Fronstin shared that a major step forward was a 2019 IRS rule that allowed some health services to skip deductibles in HSA plans, making them more accessible.
He also discussed high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), which, initially, these plans made people use less healthcare, but over time, they don’t really save much money.
People with HSAs often "treat them like spending accounts" instead of saving for future healthcare, which can impact how they make decisions, according to Fronstin.
He added that more big companies are self-insuring because it keeps benefits consistent across states, though some gaps, such as IVF coverage, still exist.
Fronstin also believes technology such as AI and mobile apps will help employees better understand their health plans and make smarter choices during open enrollment.
Conversations With Perry and Friends: Paul Fronstin, Ph.D.
May 9th 2025Perry Cohen, Pharm.D., a longtime member of the Managed Healthcare Executive editorial advisory board, is host of the Conversations with Perry and Friends podcast. In this episode, his guest is Paul Fronstin, Ph.D., director of health benefits research at the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
Listen
Conversations With Perry and Friends
April 14th 2025Perry Cohen, Pharm.D., a longtime member of the Managed Healthcare Executive editorial advisory board, is host of the Conversations with Perry and Friends podcast. His guest this episode is John Baackes, the former CEO of L.A. Care Health Plan.
Listen
Headspace Joins Direct-to-Consumer Therapy Space With AI Companion, Ebb
June 17th 2025Headspace has debuted a virtual therapy service called Therapy by Headspace that blends licensed care with AI support and insurance access to improve affordability and reach, according to a news release.
Read More
Gene Therapy Cuts Bleeding and Medicine for Hemophilia B Patients for Over a Decade
June 17th 2025It was found that those with severe hemophilia B have less than 1% of normal factor IX activity, often experiencing spontaneous bleeding that can cause joint damage or life-threatening events.
Read More
