Yes, the new year means we are at $0 satisfying our High Deductible Health Insurance Plan's deductible before benefits/co-pays kick in.
Sigh.
I needed to refill some rxs earlier this week. Only one was REALLY costly..................
Once our bennies kick in I co-pay between $45 and $50 for this script.
So I am out of pocket $335.39 for 1 prescription.
ouch.
Well, really our HSA is out the money.
I now have a pattern for drug refills since having to go onto this health insurance plan with a high deductible......beginning of the year, when I have to pay full freight, I transfer everything over to Walmart that's on their $4 refill list. Once the deductible is satisfied for the year, I transfer every drug back to Rite-Aid that will have a $5 co-pay there. I am paying $1 more per refill but the convenience of having these filled in town is worth that much.
Thankfully 2 of my other rxs are of the generic $4 variety and need to be transferred to Walmart and filled next week.
But I do have 1 more rx that won't need filling until the end of Feb. but this cost may top $470. There are no generics for this one sadly.
8-(
Hopefully by the time that one needs refilling I'll have enough new deposits into the HSA to cover it.
Sluggy
Sigh.
I needed to refill some rxs earlier this week. Only one was REALLY costly..................
Once our bennies kick in I co-pay between $45 and $50 for this script.
So I am out of pocket $335.39 for 1 prescription.
ouch.
Well, really our HSA is out the money.
I now have a pattern for drug refills since having to go onto this health insurance plan with a high deductible......beginning of the year, when I have to pay full freight, I transfer everything over to Walmart that's on their $4 refill list. Once the deductible is satisfied for the year, I transfer every drug back to Rite-Aid that will have a $5 co-pay there. I am paying $1 more per refill but the convenience of having these filled in town is worth that much.
Thankfully 2 of my other rxs are of the generic $4 variety and need to be transferred to Walmart and filled next week.
But I do have 1 more rx that won't need filling until the end of Feb. but this cost may top $470. There are no generics for this one sadly.
8-(
Hopefully by the time that one needs refilling I'll have enough new deposits into the HSA to cover it.
Sluggy
This is our first year of a high deductible HSA account. I started funding it with 150 auto deduction. This will more than cover our meds. I will have to see how our healthcare needs change as to whether I want to 'max out' this account. I'm still on the learning curve for HSA's.
ReplyDeletewe started 2014 at $0, first year on a high deduc. plan with an HSA attached. By mid year we had satisfied the deduc. and we've been able to fund all co-pays since then thru the amount in the HSA. Of course we put $192+ into it each paycheck plus the employer matched contributions during the first half of the year too. We ended 2014 with almost $2K in the HSA but still have bills pending to pay from it.
DeleteI like that these new HSAs let the balance rolls over into the next year and you don't lose any leftover funds.
Just tell me that this doesn't come out of the alcohol fund.
ReplyDeleteWell of course not! They'd have some nerve doing that!! lol
DeleteSounds like you've got it figured out to the best deals. Target also offers the $4 prescriptions, if that is an option. I switched ours to Target because I have no wait time there and even to pick up a prescription at Walmart was usually a 10-15 minute wait in a long line.
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, the hassle of Walmart here is less than the hassle at Target when it comes to rxs.
DeleteI had a high dollar prescription that I chose not to purchase. The doctor gave me an older drug that the pharmacist said was actually better.
ReplyDeleteThere are no older drug for these ones unfortunately otherwise I would find a reasonable substitute too.
DeleteWe have a $500 prescription deductible but I don't take anything on a regular basis, thank goodness! I go in for my first colonoscopy in Feb and was shocked to see the fees for facility $525, doctor $350 and I don't know the fees for anesthesiologist or pathologist yet. It will all be OOP:(
ReplyDeleteOuch! Our insurance has gotten worse every year. This year, we changed to a less catastrophic one than we had last week for cheaper.
ReplyDeleteJuly 2013 - Aug 2014 (unusual 14 mo period to help cover retirees, from here on out we go Sept 1-Aug 30)was my first "year" with a HSA. It is a game, like everything else associated with medical ins. such as they will only pay for a colonoscopy once I've met the deductible, and they only pay for an endoscopy IF I met the deductible-regardless of patient history, letter of medical necessity. Yes-both are expensive. THey found polyps so was then billed as surgical-about $14, 000. Knowing this, I've scheduled my followup endoscopy for this upcoming Summer, knowing that it'll be paid in full thru ins. @@ repeat colonoscopy is due in 5 years.
ReplyDeleteSept 2014-Aug 2015 is year 2 under this plan. Both years 1 & 2 have the same provisions: employer contributes $2000, and I elected to add an additional $2000 for year one, to "cover" our $4000 deductible. If we stay in plan, we save money. If we do mail order RX, we save money. It does provide-regardless of deductible status, one well woman exam, one complete physical, 2 dental cleanings, mammograms completely free if in plan. Fine.
Starting Sept 2015-Aug 2016, my deductible jumps and is set up differently. I still will have $2000 contributed by my employer towards the $4000 family deductible. They still cover the aforementioned well care visits regardless of deductible status. Once I hit the $4000 in OOP, we then have a RX deductible of an additional $2000, but only "paid down" by applying a 3 tiered system of co-pays towards those RX (Something like $5. $10. $25-I will have to look that up) until we clear another $2000. Questions to ins and the Union await answers: will RX be included in the intitial $4000 deductible? Will vision rider be extended to third year? Once we blow thru the additional $2000 RX deductible, then they will pay for everything. So, we time things well, figure out when to order maintenance RX, schedule appointments etc. We blew thru the deductible quickly this Fall, so I have been encouraging everyone on my plan to "get it done!" NOW. : )
Can you transfer your rx's back when Rite Aid has transfer rewards? That should make it worth your while - mine just had the get $25 in UPs if you transfer an rx - up to 2.
ReplyDeleteIt's awful that you have to finagle your medical care to coincide with which pharmacy provides the best coverage. Just think, there are millions of people who aren't as savvy as you are and just plod along spending more money. You certainly have learned the ropes, and I am glad you are sharing your knowledge. Personally, I don't need the information as I have a Medicare plan that works well, and I don't need much in the way of health care. We haven't signed my wife up for the ACA government-required health care yet, because it's unaffordable for what coverage she would get. It makes sense for many people, just not us. Thank goodness, she is healthy and can use the county health department for routine screenings - the minimum of health care. It's more cost-efficient. Otherwise, using the Bronze plan with the lowest possible coverage, which features a $6000 yearly deductible, we will pay less in penalty than we would with premiums and out-of-pocket services. Next year, the penalty will probably be too high, so we will probably end up getting that insurance then. By that time, we hope she will have a full-time job - something she has been looking for since she graduated with her PhD about 5 years ago. Maybe this year is our year. I want to thank you for sharing your information about saving money. We don't make purchases like many people do, but we need to be aware of your methods. We take advantage of UpRewards and other rewards at our pharmacies, take advantage of sales and use coupons when they are available at our grocery stores (we shop at 3 consistently). Savingstar is also something I use. I don't make much, but every little bit helps. Have you ever heard of MyPoints? It's a program where you can earn points by reading ads and answering surveys. It's a straight-forward, no-nonsense point-earning opportunity program. Last year, I had enough points to get 5 $50 gift cards to send to my daughter, plus I have more points in my that I don't know what to do with right now, but something will come up, so I am saving them for now. If you check out their program - mypoints.com - and want to join, I would love to earn 25 points for referring you. Just let me know your email address. If not, that's okay, just sign up. If you want more information, just let me know. Have a wonderful day, and thank you for allowing me to vent.
ReplyDeleteYes I have heard that paying the penalties for not having signed up for "Obamacare" for those who don't have employer sponsored insurance or are young and healthy and not really high volume users of medical services are better than paying for those plans.
DeleteIf we had stayed on our old plan(which is a local HMO deal)we wouldn't have this high deductible crap to deal with and I wouldn't have to finagle. But we have an adult child who doesn't live here that we cover as well so the HMO won't work for us(there is no out-of-network coverage in this plan either).
So we all have to do what we have to do. Going w/out insurance at my age and in my health situation is NOT happening! A few more years and I am eligible for Medicare so we have a short time to worry about the current state of insurance.
I've heard of my points and have done similar deals in the past thanks. These kind of deals just aren't on my radar any long however. I have better things to occupy my time but thanks for the offer.
We just have too many medical expenses for Hubby for me to even consider a high deductible plan, though my company sure did push it this year and last. LOL! But I calculated our expenses the last couple of year and we saved enough to make the higher premiums worth it. We each have a $300 deductible, then pay 20% of "services" until meeting $3000 max out of pocket. I rarely even meet my deductible. Hubby's will be met quickly and the last couple of years we met his max out of pocket by June/July. And we don't have to meet our deductible before prescriptions are paid for. Most of our copays are $10/$25. I am grateful that my company offers a plan that is affordable and has great coverage.
ReplyDelete