State employees’ health insurance; include high deductible health plans

HB 422 would require the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) to offer at least two high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) by October 1, 2025. These plans must be paired with health savings accounts (HSAs), allowing employees to make pre-tax contributions directly from their paychecks. While HDHPs appear desirable to cost-conscious enrollees, they may face high out-of-pocket costs if they do not contribute to their HSA or do not contribute enough to offset the high deductible. One way to prevent that situation is for the bill to include a requirement to educate enrollees about the trade-offs of an HDHP and the importance of contributing to the HSA.