While at ASA, I chose the HSA plan for family because it ran about $165 per month less than the PPO plan. So, if you actually use the entire $2300 deductible it comes out to a loss of $320 per year. We were on track to spend far less so we actually saved. Plus they offered a $500 incentive first year to switch so we were in the positive either way.

After you hit the deductible it does switch to acting like a regular PPO for the rest of the year.

Now, if you're not generally healthy or have to have surgery, your right, it's not a savings at all!

I'm not sure it's a bad system over all either - I became far more educated in actual costs. For example, our kid's doctor costs $90 per visit while the nurse practitioner (who is just as competent) costs $55 per visit. Don't even get me started on drug costs! I'm now a huge fan of generics.