The use of high-deductible health plans and health savings accounts

... "will continue to grow, driven largely by the 'Cadillac' plan tax. People are looking for relief, but I don't think we are going to get any [i.e., possible repeal of the tax] before 2017. The tax looks at the total health plan offered by the employer, so the employer has to pay a premium for those benefits. Add on additional benefits like FSAs, HSAs, HRAs. All of that is in the mix. And the single fastest way to lower your premium is to raise your deductible....Data suggest more and more employers are moving to only high-deductible plans. And the majority seems to favor adding an HSA with that."


— Roy Ramthun, president of Maryland-based HSA Consulting Services, told AIS's Health Plan Week.