The continued rise of the deductible

NPR published a piece about rising deductibles. The author makes the point that while many people have health insurance, the deductibles have been rising quickly over the last "dozen years," to the point that people put off medical care despite having insurance. The piece also reported on the results of a poll that found that 20% of respondents depleted savings into order to pay medical bills.

The overall cost of medical care continues to rise, and people look for ways of curbing the effects. The monthly health insurance premium is one area that can look attractive, but if not coupled with enough money to cover the deductible (e.g. with a health-savings account), the policyholder can be in for

a very unpleasant surprise. American society increasingly hears about and experiences the continued increases costs of health care (whether through insurance premiums or through deductibles) and Democratic politicians have gained favor among many voters for their pledges to do something. Perhaps the industry is ripe for a change.