High Deductible Healthcare Plan with HSA

[Jack&Ryan'smom]

I must be in the minority...I hate this type of plan. This is the 2nd year we have it trough United Healthcare. Checkups are free. We have a $2500 deductable which then they pay 90%. I think we have to hit $5000 before anything is 100% covered. We do get about $1400 form DH's Company on our "credit card".
I feel like I won't go to the Dr. as quickly because it will cost me around $95 to go now. Also prescriptions aren't cheap. My son's nose spray for allergy season was just $108!!!
I think I should take so $ out pre tax so it's on the card and then maybe the $1000 out of my own poacket won't hurt as much. Not sure though.
I feel like we spent TONS of $ OOP this past year for doctors & prescriptions!

 

[mrsklamc]

I must be in the minority...I hate this type of plan. This is the 2nd year we have it trough United Healthcare. Checkups are free. We have a $2500 deductable which then they pay 90%. I think we have to hit $5000 before anything is 100% covered. We do get about $1400 form DH's Company on our "credit card".
I feel like I won't go to the Dr. as quickly because it will cost me around $95 to go now. Also prescriptions aren't cheap. My son's nose spray for allergy season was just $108!!!
I think I should take so $ out pre tax so it's on the card and then maybe the $1000 out of my own poacket won't hurt as much. Not sure though.
I feel like we spent TONS of $ OOP this past year for doctors & prescriptions!

You probably did, but compare that to what you WOULD have spent on insurance premiums in a traditional plan.

 

[wdwnomad]

Thanks for the replies everyone. The feedback helps. I think I'll probably go with this plan.

I am going to contribute some funds monthly to the HSA myself. I guess the first year in the plan can be a gamble. Hopefully, my health stays the same as it has been. I doubt I'll put in enough to get to the full out of pocket maximum this year. I might as well go for the one of the other plans then. I've got enough in my own savings to cover any shortfall if anything should happen.

To answer some of the questions I saw in the thread. The HDHP being offered is by Aetna. The HSA would be run through JP Morgan. All preventative care is free. Once the deductible has been met then pretty much all in nework care (doctor's visits, hospitalization, labs, etc) and prescriptions would be covered at 90%. I'd pay 10%.

 

[ccgirl]

I'm impressed that people have employers contributing to their HSA accounts for them! Must be nice .

Employers do that because it is still cheaper for them than the "traditional" insurances.

I must be in the minority...I hate this type of plan. This is the 2nd year we have it trough United Healthcare. Checkups are free. We have a $2500 deductable which then they pay 90%. I think we have to hit $5000 before anything is 100% covered. We do get about $1400 form DH's Company on our "credit card".
I feel like I won't go to the Dr. as quickly because it will cost me around $95 to go now. Also prescriptions aren't cheap. My son's nose spray for allergy season was just $108!!!
I think I should take so $ out pre tax so it's on the card and then maybe the $1000 out of my own poacket won't hurt as much. Not sure though.
I feel like we spent TONS of $ OOP this past year for doctors & prescriptions!

But, if your employer gives you $1400 and dr's offices are only $95 that means you have to see the dr over 15 times to use that up. After we use up the $3,000 we are only covered 80% but have a stop loss of $5,000 so we would never have to pay more than that in the year.

As far as prescriptions, they are the same as my "traditional" Harvard Pilgrim plan (from my former employer). If prescriptions were too much I always just asked my dr' to use the generic. It makes a HUGE difference. I think I use that same nasal spray....or I used to until that first month. I forget the name. It is cheap if you are pregnant (obviously not an option fo your son ). I guess the generic hadn't been tested enough on a fetus. I switched to the generic and it's only $25 a month now. I think it might have been called Flonase???

 

[dward1961]

We have been using HSABANK.COM for the last three years, no problems.

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

My objection to the high deductible plan offered where I work is that the coverage isn't the same as our current PPO plan, not even close. And as someone with a family member who has a serious chronic illness, I definitely see the drawback to changing from our PPO. I have complaints about how our insurance claims are processed, but aside from that you never know how good your insurance is until you need it.

All this to say, look beyond the price and analyze what your coverages would be before you decide.

 

[pamrob]

You really need to be prepared to the pay the deductible should you have an unexpected illness or injury. Our maximum out of pocket is $3300 ($2400 family deductible and $900 coinsurance 80/20) a year but this doesn't include prescriptions or dental expenses. Individual deductible is $1200, family $2400 then you hit the 80/20 until you have paid another $900. Our employer puts $200 a month in the HSA so that helps.

The last two years we have hit this maximum due to an injury and subsequent surgery for my daughter. Coincidentally we headed into this year without the full amount in our savings to cover this year's deductible. The first week in January one of my children went to the ER and a few hour visit was $7000. Our share was just under $2000 between deductible and coinsurance. Then we still had to have the rest of the family hit the rest of the $1200 family deductible. There wasn't enough in our HSA to cover the expenses so we had to come up with the funds to cover the bills.

We are generally a very healthy family and our doctor visits are extremely minimal. We do have 100% covered well care up to $1000 per person so unless something unexpected happens we are usually banking our HSA funds.

We continue to chose this plan but you have to understand the risk that you may need to cover an unexpected illness or injury.