For additional assistance on 

benefits, contact one of our 

information offices:

NATIONAL: WASHINGTON, DC

(202) 691-6199 TDD: (800) 877-8339

NCSinfo@bls.gov www.bls.gov/ebs

REGIONAL:

ATLANTA

(404) 893-4222

BOSTON

(617) 565-2327

CHICAGO

(312) 353-1880

DALLAS

(972) 850-4800

KANSAS CITY

(816) 285-7000

NEW YORK

(646) 264-3600

PHILADELPHIA

(215) 597-3282

SAN FRANCISCO

(415) 625-2270

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

www.bls.gov/ebs 

GLOSSARY

The next Program Perspectives will feature 

defined-contribution plan investment choices.

Access to a benefit plan. An employee 

has access to a benefit plan if it is an 

option available for use. For example, if 

an employee can participate in a medical care plan offered by the employer, 

he or she is placed in a category with 

those having access to medical care, 

regardless of whether he or she chooses 

to participate.

Deductible. The deductible is the 

amount of covered expenses that an individual or family must pay before any 

charges are paid by the medical care 

plan. Deductibles that apply separately 

to a specific category of expenses, such 

as deductible for each hospital admission, were excluded.

Health savings accounts (HSAs). Accounts owned by employees and used 

to pay for medical expenses with taxexempt contributions. HSAs are used in 

combination with employer-provided 

high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) 

with annual maximum limits on out-ofpocket and deductible expenses. Other 

features include tax-free interest and 

the rollover of unused contributions 

from year to year.

High deductible health plans. A high 

deductible health plan (HDHP) is a 

health plan that typically has a higher 

deductible and lower premiums than 

a traditional health plan. Normally the 

plan includes catastrophic coverage to 

protect against large medical expenses, 

but the insured is responsible for routine out-of-pocket expenses.

Traditional fee-for-service plan. This 

type of plan finances, but does not deliver, health care services; the plan allows participants the choice of provider. 

Employers pay premiums to a private 

insurance carrier to provide a specific package of health benefits. Some 

employers may choose to self-fund a 

fee-for-service plan, in which case the 

employer, as opposed to an insurance 

company, assumes responsibility for 

payment of all eligible benefits.

penses. An HSA is only available 

if the employee is also enrolled in 

an HDHP. HDHPs and HSAs are 

frequently used in combination 

to help cover preventative health 

care expenses. HSA contributions 

are allowed to be accumulated if 

not completely spent in a calendar 

year. In 2005, 5 percent of private 

industry workers had access to an 

HSA; in 2010, access increased to 

14 percent of workers. (See chart 

1.) Full-time, higher wage workers (highest 25 percent of wage 

earners) and workers in establishments with 100 workers or more 

had higher access to HSAs than 

part-time, lower wage workers 

(lowest 25 percent of wage earners) and establishments with fewer 

than 100 workers. The combination of HDHPs and HSAs are 

proving to be an important lower 

cost option to help both employers and employees get a handle on 

increasing health care costs. ●

from page 3►

CHART 1

Percent of private industry workers with access to health 

savings accounts, 2005–2010, in percent 

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Year

14

12

10

8

6

4

16

2

0
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 

2 PROGRAM PERSPECTIVES • APRIL 2011 

from cover page►

Statistics (BLS) publications “National Compensation Survey: Employee Benefits in the United States, 

March 2010,” available online at 

http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs/benefits/2010, and National Compensation Survey: Health and Retirement 

Plan Provisions in Private Industry 

in the United States, 2009,” available online at http://www.bls.gov/

ncs/ebs/detailedprovisions/2009.

HDHP participation in 

medical care plans

In 2009, 15 percent of all private 

industry participants in medical care 

plans had coverage in an HDHP. 

Participation in HDHPs can vary by 

certain worker characteristics. For 

example, 16 percent of nonunion 

workers participate in high deductible health plans, compared with 

5 percent of union workers. More 

full-time workers participated in 

HDHPs than their part-time counterparts (15 percent compared with 

7 percent). There is also higher 

HDHP participation in smaller establishments: 18 percent participation was reported in establishments 

with 1 to 49 workers. In comparison, only 11 percent participation 

was reported for private industry 

workers in establishments with 500 

workers or more. (See table 1.) 

Comparisons with 

standard plan deductibles

In 2009, the median deductible 

for individual coverage in a high 

deductible health plan was $1,600, 

compared with $400 for traditional 

deductible health plans. (See table 

2.) For 2011, the IRS has set the 

minimum HDHP deductibles at 

$1,200 for individual coverage and 

$2,400 for family coverage. 

In 2009, the HDHP deductible was $1,000 for the lowest 10 

percent and $3,000 for the highest 

10 percent, for all private industry 

workers. The median deductible 

for full-time workers was $1600, 

compared with $2,000 for part-time 

workers. Union worker HDHP 

deductibles tended to be similar or 

slightly higher than their nonunion 

counterparts. The top 25 percent of 

wage earners had a median HDHP 

deductible of $1500 compared with 

a median deductible of $2000 for 

TABLE 1

Characteristics High deductible health plans Traditional health plans

Worker characteristic

All workers 15 85

Full time 15 85

Part time 7 93

Union 5 95

Nonunion 16 84

Establishment characteristic

1 to 99 workers 17 83

 1 to 49 workers 18 82

 50 to 99 workers 16 84

100 workers or more 12 88

 100 to 499 workers 13 87

 500 workers or more 11 89

Note: All workers participating in medical plans = 100 percent. 

Percent of workers participating in medical plans in high deductible health plans and 

traditional (non-high deductible) health plans, private industry workers, 2009
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 

2 PROGRAM PERSPECTIVES • APRIL 2011 

from cover page►

Statistics (BLS) publications “National Compensation Survey: Employee Benefits in the United States, 

March 2010,” available online at 

http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs/benefits/2010, and National Compensation Survey: Health and Retirement 

Plan Provisions in Private Industry 

in the United States, 2009,” available online at http://www.bls.gov/

ncs/ebs/detailedprovisions/2009.

HDHP participation in 

medical care plans

In 2009, 15 percent of all private 

industry participants in medical care 

plans had coverage in an HDHP. 

Participation in HDHPs can vary by 

certain worker characteristics. For 

example, 16 percent of nonunion 

workers participate in high deductible health plans, compared with 

5 percent of union workers. More 

full-time workers participated in 

HDHPs than their part-time counterparts (15 percent compared with 

7 percent). There is also higher 

HDHP participation in smaller establishments: 18 percent participation was reported in establishments 

with 1 to 49 workers. In comparison, only 11 percent participation 

was reported for private industry 

workers in establishments with 500 

workers or more. (See table 1.) 

Comparisons with 

standard plan deductibles

In 2009, the median deductible 

for individual coverage in a high 

deductible health plan was $1,600, 

compared with $400 for traditional 

deductible health plans. (See table 

2.) For 2011, the IRS has set the 

minimum HDHP deductibles at 

$1,200 for individual coverage and 

$2,400 for family coverage. 

In 2009, the HDHP deductible was $1,000 for the lowest 10 

percent and $3,000 for the highest 

10 percent, for all private industry 

workers. The median deductible 

for full-time workers was $1600, 

compared with $2,000 for part-time 

workers. Union worker HDHP 

deductibles tended to be similar or 

slightly higher than their nonunion 

counterparts. The top 25 percent of 

wage earners had a median HDHP 

deductible of $1500 compared with 

a median deductible of $2000 for 

TABLE 1

Characteristics High deductible health plans Traditional health plans

Worker characteristic

All workers 15 85

Full time 15 85

Part time 7 93

Union 5 95

Nonunion 16 84

Establishment characteristic

1 to 99 workers 17 83

 1 to 49 workers 18 82

 50 to 99 workers 16 84

100 workers or more 12 88

 100 to 499 workers 13 87

 500 workers or more 11 89

Note: All workers participating in medical plans = 100 percent. 

Percent of workers participating in medical plans in high deductible health plans and 

traditional (non-high deductible) health plans, private industry workers, 2009
For additional assistance on 

benefits, contact one of our 

information offices:

NATIONAL: WASHINGTON, DC

(202) 691-6199 TDD: (800) 877-8339

NCSinfo@bls.gov www.bls.gov/ebs

REGIONAL:

ATLANTA

(404) 893-4222

BOSTON

(617) 565-2327

CHICAGO

(312) 353-1880

DALLAS

(972) 850-4800

KANSAS CITY

(816) 285-7000

NEW YORK

(646) 264-3600

PHILADELPHIA

(215) 597-3282

SAN FRANCISCO

(415) 625-2270

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

www.bls.gov/ebs 

GLOSSARY

The next Program Perspectives will feature 

defined-contribution plan investment choices.

Access to a benefit plan. An employee 

has access to a benefit plan if it is an 

option available for use. For example, if 

an employee can participate in a medical care plan offered by the employer, 

he or she is placed in a category with 

those having access to medical care, 

regardless of whether he or she chooses 

to participate.

Deductible. The deductible is the 

amount of covered expenses that an individual or family must pay before any 

charges are paid by the medical care 

plan. Deductibles that apply separately 

to a specific category of expenses, such 

as deductible for each hospital admission, were excluded.

Health savings accounts (HSAs). Accounts owned by employees and used 

to pay for medical expenses with taxexempt contributions. HSAs are used in 

combination with employer-provided 

high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) 

with annual maximum limits on out-ofpocket and deductible expenses. Other 

features include tax-free interest and 

the rollover of unused contributions 

from year to year.

High deductible health plans. A high 

deductible health plan (HDHP) is a 

health plan that typically has a higher 

deductible and lower premiums than 

a traditional health plan. Normally the 

plan includes catastrophic coverage to 

protect against large medical expenses, 

but the insured is responsible for routine out-of-pocket expenses.

Traditional fee-for-service plan. This 

type of plan finances, but does not deliver, health care services; the plan allows participants the choice of provider. 

Employers pay premiums to a private 

insurance carrier to provide a specific package of health benefits. Some 

employers may choose to self-fund a 

fee-for-service plan, in which case the 

employer, as opposed to an insurance 

company, assumes responsibility for 

payment of all eligible benefits.

penses. An HSA is only available 

if the employee is also enrolled in 

an HDHP. HDHPs and HSAs are 

frequently used in combination 

to help cover preventative health 

care expenses. HSA contributions 

are allowed to be accumulated if 

not completely spent in a calendar 

year. In 2005, 5 percent of private 

industry workers had access to an 

HSA; in 2010, access increased to 

14 percent of workers. (See chart 

1.) Full-time, higher wage workers (highest 25 percent of wage 

earners) and workers in establishments with 100 workers or more 

had higher access to HSAs than 

part-time, lower wage workers 

(lowest 25 percent of wage earners) and establishments with fewer 

than 100 workers. The combination of HDHPs and HSAs are 

proving to be an important lower 

cost option to help both employers and employees get a handle on 

increasing health care costs. ●

from page 3►

CHART 1

Percent of private industry workers with access to health 

savings accounts, 2005–2010, in percent 

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Year

14

12

10

8

6

4

16

2

0