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Originally Posted by flyallnite
To add on to what you said, I've found that the paperwork and planning associated with managing an ever changing HSA account is not worth the time or effort. And I've had a few years where unplanned medical expenses made me wish I'd had the DPMP. It seems with the other plans, I'm always paying more than I expected, for everything, including dental. Yes the premiums are a bite out of your paycheck, but I don't have to give my biometric information to anyone, and I don't have to keep records, receipts, account ledgers or submit expenses to anyone. I just go and they pay. Done. And I sleep better knowing that if anything happens, I can go see whomever I choose, and it's covered.
$528/mo for DPMP vs. $176/mo for the Silver HSA? That is $4200 per year in premiums. I figure that unless you are 100% sure you will have a medical issue that will run you to the $2600 deductible in the Silver HSA, you would be better off taking the risk and going with the HSA. Throw the $4200 a year into your HSA and after a couple years you will have enough to always pay the max out of pocket if something bad does happen.
I just don't see the DPMP being a good option for very many of us. It might be "easier", but I don't see how it can be cheaper unless you know you will spend lots on healthcare.
Someone told me it was a "no brainer" for me with a family to be in the DPMP. Last year we used up $650 from our HRA money which cost us 0$ because that is money Delta puts in. Had we been in the DPMP we would have had had about $400 out of pocket expenses (Deductible + 20% copay after deductible). We also would have paid thousands more in premiums. Every year during open enrollment I go back and look at what my costs would have been the previous 3 years for each plan being offered. I then go with the plan that would have been the cheapest overall. So far in 8 years the DPMP would have cost me tons more than any of the other plans.