An annual online survey by EBRI/Greenwald & Associates of 3,887 people found much money people have to pay when they visit the doctor can make a big difference in how satisfied they are with their health plan. Kaiser Health News writes the survey examined issues related to consumer-directed health care, generally defined as plans with high deductibles that are linked to savings accounts that consumers can use to pay medical expenses. Study participants were grouped into three categories: consumer-driven health plan members who had a deductible of at least $1,250 for individual coverage or $2,500 for family coverage and access to a health savings account or similar savings vehicle; high-deductible health plan members who had the same deductible thresholds but no savings account; and so-called traditional plan members who had plans with lower deductibles.People in traditional health plans were more satisfied overall with their health plans in 2014, the study found. Sixty-one percent said they were extremely or very satisfied, compared with 46 percent of those in consumer-driven plans and 37 percent who had high-deductible plans.
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