HDHP / HSA experiment 2011

[mavjop]

This year, for various reasons, I opted for the HDHP (High Deductible Health Plan) health insurance, which is to say a plan which pays nothing until you've satisfied a hefty deductible but (1) I pay no employee contribution for, (2) makes me eligible to have and make contributions to an HSA (Health Savings Account) and (3) in addition to my being

Comments

[anemone]

Wait--you can immediately withdraw money from a health care spending account (I've done it), but you can't immediately withdraw it from a health care savings account? That kinda sucks.

[mavjop]

They are *completely* different animals

[anemone]

I assume by health care spending account you mean flexible spending account aka cafeteria plan aka section 125 plan aka .....?

Yeah. IBM calls it a "Health Care Spending Account." I always figured the HSA was strictly better, but apparently not so.

I thought about trying the high deductible plan too. so I'm interested in how it turns out.

[mavjop]

It's strictly different, for certain, but is a a dog better than a motorcycle? :)

Ok, so they're more similar than that, in that one can use both to pay for medical expenses using tax-advantaged funds, but that's more or less where the similarity ends.

[targaff]

My experiences of healthcare in the time I've been here have largely just reaffirmed my conviction that the NHS is a Good Thing. Also that medical admin staff are useless regardless of whether it's private or public.

[mavjop]

Generally speaking, yes, in spite of how effectively the right wing manages to spread FUD about socialised medicine, almost every country with socialised medicine has it better than the US. I've experienced both good and bad on the admin staff side.