October 5, 2006 5:12 AM
Will You Benefit From Health Savings Account (HSA)?
Not everyone will benefit from Health Savings Account, but HSA may be for you if you are young and don't visit your physicians often.
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance:
High-deductible health-insurance plans aren't always the best deal, even when the premium is lower. If your employer offers multiple insurance options, figure out which one gives you the best access to the physicians and services you and your family actually use. "It doesn't do any good to buy a health-insurance policy that doesn't cover your doctors," says Paul Zane Pilzer, author of The New Health Insurance Solution. Your doctor's office may be able to help you sort through the alternatives.
You can also estimate next year's expenses based on what you'll spend on health care in 2006, then use your employer's worksheets or online calculators to compare the cost of each plan. Pilzer recommends that you plug in hypothetical medical expenses of, say, $500, $5,000 and $50,000 to see how coverage would work at each level.
Be sure to add up your total out-of-pocket costs. That includes not only your premium and deductible but also any co-payments for office visits or prescription drugs, plus coinsurance -- the percentage of costs, often 10% to 20%, that you'll have to pay above and beyond the deductible. Your employer should be able to provide you with a list of out-of-pocket maximums for all of your health-insurance choices.
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