Author Topic: Regular vs. high-deductible health insurance plan?  (Read 2459 times)

El Gringo

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Regular vs. high-deductible health insurance plan?
« on: June 19, 2014, 08:30:06 AM »
I'll be starting a new job on July 1, and they offer the opportunity to take a regular health insurance plan vs. a high-deductible plan. I'm a healthy 27-year old who eats healthy and is active (biking is 99% of my mode of transportation!). How much of a risk is a high-deductible plan? One of the benefits of having a high-deductible plan is that I can open an HSA, right?

I have no experience or much knowledge with high-deductible plans, so if people want to help me figure out what I should get, I'd greatly appreciate it!

MDM

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Re: Regular vs. high-deductible health insurance plan?
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2014, 08:52:35 AM »
Quote
How much of a risk is a high-deductible plan?
  You are in the best position to answer that for yourself.  Need to know how much you will pay in premiums, what are the deductibles, what preventive care is covered at 100%, what is the maximum you might pay, etc.

Statistically, given only your age and self-described health, you will be better to go with a high deductible (and take advantage of all paid preventive care options).  But YMMV.

Bourbon

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Re: Regular vs. high-deductible health insurance plan?
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2014, 08:57:32 AM »
At my employer(s)  I have always taken the HSA plan because the math works out.  Not the case everywhere, but if you take the premiums of the "traditional" plan for the year, they have been higher for me than the premiums + deductible on the High Deductible plan.  Sometimes even higher than the premiums + max OOP. 

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!