Quote:
Originally Posted by Fermion
Do I read that as you must have a plan with at least a minimum deductible of $1300 in order for it to be HSA qualified (along with the other requirements for HSA qualification)?
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That has been my understanding of HSA's since they began. You need to be covered by a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) to contribute to an HSA.
In many cases, the difference in the monthly premiums between a HDHP and a traditional health plan may make up a significant fraction of the deductible. Don't forget that HDHP plans are allowed to provide "preventative/screening" services each year that the insurance company fully pays for. Medical/Diagnostic services to treat a condition, on the other hand, will be subject to the deductible.
If an employer gives you an added contribution to your HSA then it may be an easy decision if you are healthy and can self-insure for the maximum out of pocked limit.
Given that health plans typically have a maximum 1 year commitment, I have always found the HDHP/HSA as the way to go in our case. After having these for close to 10 years, we have hit the deductible one year (hello kidney stones) and have never hit the out of pocket maximum.
-gauss