Question about High Deductible health insurance

[LiberalEsto]

My husband's company switched everybody to a high deductible coverage effective Jan. 1. We knew nothing about this -- evidently he missed some kind of HR dept. presentation, but that's because he puts in 60-plus-hour work weeks and doesn't even have time for breaks or lunch most of the time.

Yesterday we found out we have a $4000 deductible. He was told by HR to "read the manual" but he was never given this manual, so he has no clue as to how this is supposed to work.

How is one supposed to find money in the household budget to pay for every doctor visit and prescription before one hits the deductible amount?

They say there is some kind of health savings account, but it will take a long time to save up to pay for any of this stuff, and that will cut into our finances even further in the beginning.

[uppityperson]

1. Call the insurance co and ask to be sent info. Most also have online site to see what

your benefits are, who pays what for what. Sounds like his HR is not very helpful, go to the source. You will need your insurance numbers to check as everynplan is different.

Last yr I had a 10k deductible and it was bad.

[ro9yer]

2. DEATH PANEL

It's called the Republican "Death Panel"

[Baobab]

3. Please try to save money- HDHPs are bad news

The way insurance companies win big with HDHPs is by dumping people who get sick, by socking them with big bills they cant pay.

[csziggy]

4. Have hime ask more about health savings accounts

There are different kinds - one kind you forfeit all the money at the end of every year, another carries over, and one is completely funded by the company (apparently).

I don't know much about them, just that they exist. The only experience I have is that one year my husband's job provided insurance had accounts for the employees. We never put money in but it paid much of our deductible that year.

Every year when the insurance selection process came up I ended up doing all the research and selection for us for the same reason your husband missed getting his information - too much overtime and not enough leisure for him to check it out. Anything having to do with HR my husband had to call since little or nothing was available online.

Good luck - insurance is a scam in my opinion.