This is an excerpt from a member-only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe.

As healthcare costs continue to rise, employers are feeling the pressure and are forced to reevaluate the health plans they offer to their staff. Limited benefit plans, which are gaining ground as an attractive option, are touted as an affordable alternative to more comprehensive health insurance plans. Limited benefit plans often feature deductibles and benefit caps. Why is this significant? Unlike deductibles, which are predictable (occurring each anniversary of the patient's enrollment) and finite, these policies have benefit limits that can crop up at any time.