Health Care?

[guylocke]

On a completely semi-unrelated note, UPMC prescription covers sucks.

lol.

Well it does.

But all good advice! I will be living downtown and where I practice is also downtown so I won't be in the car much. I'm as healthy as a horse, so I think a HDHP may be a very good option for me.

[jfer]

There are lots of good reasons to choose this kind of plan. My firm charges zero monthly premium for this coverage compared to $50-$100 per pay for HMO's or PPO type plans. Plus with a HDHP, once you meet the deductible, all charges are paid at 100% - no copays, etc. It is not true that most companies charge $30 per bi-weekly check. Every company is different. If you do not use medical services that often, this is a great choice because you are not paying for something you aren't using. And an HSA allows you to build up a fund to use for health care expenses down the road when you use it more or if you find yourself without insurance. It really is the way to go for a lot of people. Not everyone though. You just have to run the numbers based on your situation. It is not a huge gamble -- the savings in premium often offsets the deductible.

Originally Posted by Mugatu

I don't know why anyone would chose a high deductible plan. Like Katiana said, you are taking a huge gamble that nothing will happen to you. Most companies around here offer good healthcare options at reasonable premiums. I now work for a division of UPMC, and get the UPMC Advantage HMO plan, including vision coverage, for $30 per bi-weekly paycheck. As long as I take a yearly health screening, there is no deductible, and it covers at 100%. The job I had before UPMC offered Highmark's HMO plan, $50 per paycheck, 100% coverage with no deductible. Don't risk your finances on a high deductible plan.

[suzeeq521]

My coverage is a lot like Jfer's - my company charges no premium for the high deductible plan. Plus, they contribute $750 towards my HSA at the begininning of every year.

They also offer more traditional plan, but it costs us, has no deductible, but has some serious co-pays and rarely covers anything 100%

My deductible is $1500, so they are giving me half up front every year. Plus, I have a pre-tax deduction taken from my paycheck (much less than the premium of the other plan), so it builds up quickly.

It is a long term savings plan - I have money left that rolls over every year, so I can always meet my deductible in an emergency.

And it is a total deductible of $1500. So, for example, if I have paid $1400 in deductible charges to my physician, my dermatologist, my gynecologist, prescriptions, etc and am in a catastrophic bus accident that costs tens of thousands of dollars of hospital care? Yeah, my deductible would only be $100 for that.

Oh, and there are some things that are covered even before you meet the deductible - like a basic physical every year, certain tests for certain age groups, etc.

[guylocke]

Oh, and there are some things that are covered even before you meet the deductible - like a basic physical every year, certain tests for certain age groups, etc.

I like this more and more! I see a physician for a physical once a year, and an eye doctor ever year to twice years, and a dermatologist for cosmetic reasons that probably wouldn't really be covered anyway.

[Bong477]

You have to figure out what the best plan is for you based on what your employer offers. Everyone is different. A high deductible plan definately makes sense if you are young and healthy and the monthly difference is substantial.

As for the original question, if you want to do a UPMC HMO your coverage will be fine being there is like 75% market share including any specialist you could possibly want. If you have an HMO with anyone else, I'd avoid it.

[guylocke]

Do most employers offer HSA options? Or is this sort of a new age thing that is up-and-coming and a niche market?

I hope Walgreen's offers one!

[jfer]

It's the new trend and more and more employers are starting to offer it because it helps their costs.

[suzeeq521]

Also, the tax savings were just recently approved (and improved upon since then) by the government - making it a great savings-tool for the future.

I predict that not only will more companies go that way, but the government will continue to offer great tax savings in hopes that eventually retirees can get away from Medicare/Medicaid.