Enrollment in High-Deductible Health Plans Among Older Workers

Employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) is the main source of health coverage for adults ages 50 to 64, but plan characteristics vary widely. AARP worked with NORC at the University of Chicago to examine older workers’ enrollment in high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) and related health savings accounts (HSAs). Enrollment in HDHPs among this group has grown significantly, with more than half—16.4 million older workers—in such plans by 2022. Many older workers, especially those with lower incomes, remain enrolled in HDHPs without HSAs. Read the full report. 

Key Takeaways:

• Enrollment in HDHPs among midlife adults has risen sharply over the past decade.
• In 2022, more than half of people ages 50 to 64 with employer-sponsored coverage, 16.4 million older workers, were enrolled in these plans.
• Growth in the enrollment of older workers in HDHPs varies by employer, plan, and enrollee characteristics.
• Although older workers enrolled in HDHPs may have HSAs, many do not, especially those with lower incomes.

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