CHA Blog Improve Revenue Cycle Streams in the Age of High-Deductible Plans

The number of High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) and Consumer-Directed Health Plans (CDHPs) in the market continues to increase as patients and employers look for lower monthly premiums and payers aim to place more financial risk on patients.In 2016, the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that an average of 51 percent of workers were covered by a health plan with an annual deductible over $1,000 for single coverage. This group of individuals had increased by 22 percent since 2009, and this trend continues to rise.1 With high deductible plans, patients are often liable for the entire cost of the payer negotiated rate of their physician visit, and the high out-of-pocket expenses are driving them to make savvier healthcare decisions. Patients desire more financial transparency, access to healthcare costs, and increased communication from their provider. Yet despite patients' increased financial awareness regarding their obligations, many are still unreliable payers in the market.