The 2024 Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey is an online survey of Americans ages 21–64 with private health insurance coverage. In general, the survey found that, among private health plan enrollees, most understood premiums and deductibles but not prescription drug copays or maximum out-of-pocket limits. This Fast Fact reports on this “confusion” factor for all enrollees.
Figure 2 HDHP enrollees are more likely to understand HSAs, but overall knowledge remains low. To the best of your knowledge, are each of the following statements about health savings accounts (HSAs) July 10, 2025, #537 true or false? Correct answer True False Not sure Natl 60% 13% 28% You can use your HSA to Traditional 58% 12% 29% Health Plan Knowledge Is Often Lacking pay for medical expenses HDHP 64% 13% 23% in retirement Natl 28% 47% 25% If you leave your job, you The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI)/Greenwald Research Consumer Engagement in Health Care Traditional 28% 45% 27% lose your HSA Survey found that among private health plan enrollees, most understood premiums and deductibles but not HDHP 28% 53% 19% prescription drug copays or maximum out-of-pocket limits. Natl 33% 23% 44% HSA funds can be Eighty-six percent understood that premiums are the amount paid for health insurance, regardless of using care, invested in mutual funds Traditional 31% 23% 46% and 82 percent understood that the deHDHP ductible is the amount you have to pay out of pocket before your plan begins 38% 23% 39% to pay for care. High-deductible health plan (HDHP) enrollees were more likely than traditional plan enrollees to Natl 43% 28% 29% answer at lA en ayo stn one e can- ha ope lf n a of n these questions correctly. However, there was confusion among enrollees over HSA, regardless of which Traditional 44% 25% 31% prescription copays: only about one in four knew that the amount is not the same for all groups of prescriptions. type of health insurance HDHP 39% 36% 24% And there was confusion about out-of-pocket maximums. plan they have 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research, 2024 ConF sum igu er Engr ae gem1 ent in Health Care Survey Copyright © 2025 Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research Most enrollees understand premiums and deductibles but not prescription drug copays or maximum out-of-pocket limits. More information about the EBRI/Greenwald Research Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey can be To the best of your knowledge, are each of the following statements about health insurance plans true or found online. false? Correct answer True False Not sure The 2024 Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey is an online survey of 2,011 Americans ages 21 –64 A deductible is the amount Natl 82% 10% 8% with private health insurance coverage. It was fielded between October and November 2024. The survey is you have to pay out of pocket during the plan year Traditional 80% 11% 9% made possible with funding support from the following organizations: Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, for covered health care HDHP 88% 8% 4% services before your plan CareFirst, The Cigna Group, HealthEquity, Inspira Financial, Johnson & Johnson, Segal, TIAA, and Wex. begins to pay for care. Your health insurance plan Natl 35% 49% 16% The Employee Benefit Research Institute is a private, nonpartisan, and nonprofit research institute based in will pay for all of your Traditional 39% 44% 17% covered care before you hit Washington, D.C., that focuses on health, savings, retirement, and economic security issues. EBRI does not lobby your out-of-pocket HDHP 24% 64% 12% and does not take policy positions. The work of EBRI is made possible by funding from its members and maximum. sponsors, which include a broad range of public and private organizations. For more information, visit A prescription copay is a set Natl 64% 26% 10% www.ebri.org. amount you pay each time you get a prescription filled. Traditional 64% 25% 11% This amount is the same for all groups of prescriptions HDHP Greenwald Research is a leading independent custom rese62% arch firm and consulting part30% ner to the he 8% alth and (i.e., generic, brand, specialty). wealth industries that applies creative quantitative and qualitative methods to help companies stay competitive Natl and naviga A tm eo inndus thly prte rm y iu cm ha is nge the . Leveraging deep subject matter expe 86% rtise and a consultative appr8% oach, 6% Greenwald amount you pay for your offers comprehensive services to Traa dnswe itional r strategic business questi 85% ons. For more information, go 9%to 7% health insurance plan, regardless of using care. www.greenwaldresearch.com HDHP 89% 7% 4% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% ### Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research, 2024 Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey Copyright © 2025 Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research When it comes to knowledge about health savings accounts (HSAs), HDHP enrollees were more likely to understand HSAs, though overall knowledge remained low (32 percent correctly answered at least three out of four statements vs. 22 percent of traditional plan enrollees). © 2025, Employee Benefit Research Institute, 901 D St. SW, Suite 802, Washington, DC 20024, 202/659-0670 | ebri.org 2