Open enrollment season is here. One of the questions we encounter frequently is “how much is a high deductible” on an insurance plan? We hear a lot from people who are accustomed to the $20 co-pay and a modest deductible — but it looks like the deductible size is creeping up. In fact, a friend said yesterday that he thinks of the $2,000 deductible as high.
But here’s a related question.
Is a $5,500 deductible the new normal?
In North Texas it sounds like the answer is yes. An article in The Forth Worth Star-Telegram says that premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance went up by 3.5 percent on average, based on a survey of 25 North Texas businesses by Whitney Smith, a local company. But …
“Family deductibles are now $5,563 on average, the survey showed.”
Also: “Local families are paying $7,938 a year out of pocket, on average, toward their health insurance premiums, with employers picking up the rest, according to the Whitney Smith survey. Nationally, the annual family contribution is much less — $4,316.”
For open enrollment suggestions on saving money, check out the article, link above.
