LOS ANGELES, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Californians who have health insurance plans with high-deductibles -- more than $1,000 -- may delay care or risk financial jeopardy, researchers say.
A report from the Center for Health Policy Research at the University of California, Los Angeles, says 3 million Californians in 2007 were enrolled in high-deductible health plans, many of them self-employed or poor who often cannot afford the deductible and put off healthcare.
Lead author Dylan Roby says high-deductible plans are defined as those that have out-of-pocket deductibles of $1,000 or more for individuals or $2,000 or more for families, some which can exceed $5,000 annually.
"Many Californians can't afford higher-premium plans, especially in the current economic climate," Roby says in a statement. "But the alternative -- high-deductible plans -- may cost less initially but can cost thousands of dollars when you need healthcare."
The study also says the vast majority of members in high-deductible health plans had no health savings account that might help mitigate the cost of the deductibles or out-of-pocket expenses.
Roby says healthcare reform -- The Affordable Care Act -- which help these families because the California Health Benefits Exchange will provide more robust insurance as part of national healthcare reform, while capping out-of-pocket deductibles at $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families, and offering subsidies for those with low incomes.
