Enrollment in health plans that incorporate health savings accounts or other personal health accounts could increase to 45 million by the end of 2012, from 29 million at the end of 2008.
The account-based plan industry has experienced a compound annual growth rate of about 71% over the past 4 years, according to Aite Group L.L.C., Boston.
The high growth is due largely to employer efforts to reduce their own health benefits costs by shifting more responsibility onto the shoulders of consumers, Aite says.
Premiums have been increasing just 3% per year for account-based plans, compared with an average of 8% for traditional plans, Aite says.
Aite defines the account-based plan market to include plans that incorporate flexible spending accounts or health reimbursement arrangements as well as plans that include HSAs.
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