Federal Health Care Plans and Open Season: GEHA HDHP vs. Foreign Service Plan

[movaly1]

I'm a federal employee that has been using GEHA HDHP for years to be able to use the HSA. Now I'm toying with switching to the Foreign Service Plan mostly because it covers 40 massages per year. Thoughts? Am I crazy to give up the potential to put money into the HSA? It's just me and two kids. We do not have any health concerns. Thoughts?

Edited to add that the Foreign Service plan costs about $54 more per month.

 

[zinger1457]

One of the additional benefits of the HSA plan when I was in Federal service was that the Gov contributed a portion to my HSA account. Don't recall how much it was, probably what the difference was in the premium of the HSA and basic plan. It would have paid for a few massages throughout the year although I doubt it's a qualified HSA expense unless a doctor authorizes it.

 

[movaly1]

I get $125/month contributed into my HSA if I go with the HDHP.

 

[Brat]

My dilemma, considering changing health insurance - Federal retiree. Have Medicare A & B.

I am presently on Kaiser's Fed Medicare Advantage plan. I like Kaiser except for the amount of time it takes to get a speciality appointment - PT, Orthopedic, Dermatologist. When we lived on Bainbridge Island I was a GEHA subscriber and delighted in the lack of a co-pay and access to specialists. What is holding me back from switching is finding a new primary care physician. There was a discussion by one of the websites commenting on the fact that participants do not seem to be driven primarily by the cost of the health plan. Now I know why... even thinking about changing health care providers is a PITA.

 

[AndyS]

We've been happy with NALC high option self & family or the past 10 or more years ... but with that 11% premium jump this time around I'll be looking at the other plans more closely.

NALC uses CIGNA OAP network though, and that network has worked pretty well for us the past couple years since my wife's cancer came back and she's now Stage 4. Lots of local specialists are in-network as is everything she has done with MD Anderson in Houston. So ... I'll evaluate the plans once again & we'll see.

(edit: on the in-network thing, except for radiologists & anesthesiologists, darn few of those in-network locally, but since Florida passed a balance-billing law last year, that's not so much of an issue anymore)