 TITLE: What Is a High Deductible Health Plan? CONTENT: Pros and Cons of a High Deductible Health Plan\n----------------------------------------------\nHigh deductible health plans have some key benefits:\n*   **Potentially lower premiums**: HDHPs typically have lower premiums than non-HDHPs. The tradeoff: potentially higher out-of-pocket costs when you do file an insurance claim.\n*   **Tax-free spending account**: Only HDHP participants qualify for HSAs to save money tax-free for qualified health care costs. HSAs offer many tax advantages and can even help you save for retirement.\nHDHPs also have downsides:\n*   **Higher deductible**: You must pay your full deductible before any non-preventive care is covered.\n*   **Potentially high out-of-pocket expenses**: HDHPs have high out-of-pocket maximums, so you'll shoulder more of your medical costs than if your plan had lower maximums.\nHowever, some plans have lower premiums or higher out-of-pocket maximums than HDHPs. The out-of-pocket maximums for non-HDHP plans that conform to Affordable Care Act regulations are $8,550 for individuals and $17,100 for families—higher than the HDHP maximum. Since higher maximum limits generally mean lower premiums, you may find non-HDHP plans with lower premiums than HDHPs. END