HSAs Significant Risk of Adverse Selection?

Health Insurance Costs

I’m wondering if HSA’s will contribute to or directly result in adverse selection.  What I mean by this is when healthy people and less-healthy people separate into different health insurance arrangements, and the cost of insurance for the less healthy consequently rises and places such individuals at greater risk of becoming uninsured or underinsured.  Many articles I have read show concern that high deductible plans attached to HSA’s pose a significant risk of adverse selection, because such plans are likely to be disproportionately attractive to healthier individuals who do not need much in the way of health care and who consequently are less concerned about the higher out-of-pocket costs required under a high-deductible plan.  So, if healthier individuals move to high-deductible plans attached to HSA’s in large numbers over time, while less healthy individuals remain in lower-deductible, comprehensive plans, then significant adverse selection will result and drive up health insurance premiums for the comprehensive plans.  What are your thoughts on this subject?

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