Wisconsin may join over 20 other states in offering a high-deductible health insurance plan (HDHP) with linked health savings accounts (HSA) to its employees, Human Resource Executive Online reports. According to the source, these states are looking at HDHPs as a way to reduce costs and trim tight budgets.
The Wisconsin secretary of employee trust funds and the director of state employment relations are currently studying the possibilities of a HDHP, partly to determine whether it would comply with federal health care law requirements.
“Most public employees have the richest benefits of anybody, so states have got to communicate the benefits of choosing HSAs to get employees to go from a zero deductible to a $1,200 deductible,” Helen Darling, president and CEO of the National Business Group on Health told the news source. She indicated that HSA’s allow the insured more control over spending as well as the chance to accumulate money in the account.
These options may allow the government to reduce costs while still providing employees with needed coverage. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health notes that financial and health concerns or the lack of health care may increase the risk of workplace stress negatively affecting employee performance. Research indicates that job stress can contribute to poor health over time.
