What is a "high-deductible health plan" (HDHP)?

Sometimes referred to as a "catastrophic" health insurance plan, an HDHP is an inexpensive health insurance plan that generally doesn't pay for the first several thousand dollars of health care expenses (i.e., your "deductible") but will generally cover you after that.

For 2006, the minimum deductible for an individual is $1,050, and $2,100 for a family. The annual out-of-pocket expenses (including deductibles and co-pays) for 2006 cannot exceed $5,250 (self-only coverage) or $10,500 (family coverage). HDHPs can have first dollar coverage (no deductible) for preventive care and apply higher out-of-pocket limits (and co pays & coinsurance) for non-network services.