The study, “Trends in Cost Sharing for Medical Services,” conducted by the Employment Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), analyzed a sample of 5.9 million enrollees between 2013 and 2018 and found that enrollees in HMO/EPO plans saw the highest deductible increases (8% for employee-only plans, 12% for family plans), followed by PPO/POS plans (6.1% for employees, 6.7% for families) and comprehensive plans (4.7% for employees, 6.5% for families).

Paul Fronstin, director of research at the EBRI, said that costs are rising as employers see deductibles and cost-sharing as the easiest way to control overall spending.

“It’s not surprising to me that deductibles are going up,” Fronstin said. “All they’re doing is changing one number in their plan, rather than excluding providers or certain drugs. It’s the easiest thing to do.”

The rise of HSA-eligible plans, Fronstin added, is a manifestation of the increased deductibles. Read More: BenefitsPRO