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Old 12-15-2019, 07:27 PM   #1 (permalink)
Xist
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Are health savings accounts better?

Do you ever feel like you are stuck in a box with a cat, just waiting for someone to look inside and decide your fate? Somehow I am both simultaneous eligible and ineligible for VA coverage. They earned a bad reputation, but Banner bought the local urgent care clinics, so in a couple of days the choices will be Banner and the VA.

I always understood that I would have full coverage for five years after leaving Active Duty, but almost a year ago I received a letter saying that I had health coverage all year.

Really? I could have used that!

I waited for December First to sign up, but when I looked into it before, supposedly I could sign up for crazy low prices. December First I had two choices that cost nearly $200 each and they just went up from there. Okay, a bit under $200:

At the time I calculated: "Even if I needed to see a doctor five times every six months, I would still lose money compared to going to urgent care."

That is before Banner bought the urgent care in question. My first visit they asked if I wanted to pay $50 to join their club. That club discount paid for itself that first visit and I returned five times in twelve months.

Banner doesn't have a club. Full price for you!

One bronze plan is an HSA and the other is...

Ah dang it.

I have until midnight to enroll, but I need to call, leave my name and number, and wait for someone to call me.

I think the other one was an HMO. This page just says to talk to an independent insurance agent: Health Savings Account 101: Everything You Need to Know About HSAs

The first important thing that I read is that they are great if you are in good health. Um... I have had lots of trips to urgent care, but I only needed urgent care.

This seems to indicate that HSAs are only worthwhile if they offer a substantial savings over an HMO and you actually put the difference into savings [and leave it there]: HSA accounts: The good news and bad news

If I end up having VA coverage, I will lose my civilian coverage, but I won't want it. Well, time to call a robot!

I put off signing up when I saw when I would actually have coverage, but then I had strep, never really got better, and now I have a virus, allergies, or something.

Urgent Care just assures me that I do not have strep.

Am I safe to go to work tomorrow? I don't know!

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