HSAs grow despite uncertainties

The Consumer Driven Healthcare Institute’s (CDHCI) quarterly report, “The Consumer Driven Healthcare (CDHC) Market Data Advisory,” aggregates blind data from millions of actual health savings accounts (HSAs) provided by CDHCI members and partners. According to the report, total accounts administered in HSA programs on average grew 4% in the first quarter of 2010.

The growth comes amid questions raised by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and how its implementation will affect consumer-driven healthcare.

“Under the PPACA, we anticipate that state health insurance exchanges will allow for inclusion of consumer driven account-based plans that meet the standards prescribed under the law,” says David Randall, executive director of CDHCI in Washington, D.C. “As an example, the Massachusetts Health Connector allows high-deductible health plans to be included as a plan option that employers and individuals can choose from. Further, we expect that consumer driven healthcare will continue to grow as more employers seek these plans as a means of controlling health care costs.”

Additional findings from the report showed employers on average contributed $200 each month into individual HSAs and $238 into family HSAs. Employees, on average, contributed $188 each month into individual HSAs, and $387 into family HSAs.