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We had a benefits meeting today at my office. We are fortunate in that they currently pay our employee portion of the premium and have a pretty decent plan. Due to expected large premium increases for our usual renewal in March we are renewing early effective Dec 1 but the plan is changing significantly.

Our deductible (beyond copays) is going from $1000 to $10,000, and our office is establishing a Health Reimbursement Account to offset the difference. Our copays will increase from $25/40 to $40/90 to help offset the costs, but I know we're fortunate that our employer is planning to offset the deductible difference expense.

However, I have no experience with HRA's - does anyone have any experience with that type of account? I'm interested to hear it - and this thread is not at all intended to be political. I realize the impending federal law changes are a part of this, but the focus here is on practical application based on what we are dealing with, not opinions on how it got there.

Thank you!

[This message edited by persevere at 9:33 PM, November 4th (Monday)]

I have deductible insurance. I pay monthly to two insurance companies. One provides health insurance, and the other provides my deductible. In effect, I have no deductible. The deductible insurance is very cheap and might be worth it instead of the extra account.

I have a HRA and I was really skeptical when my employer went to one. However, they also gave us ways to fund it by doing specific healthy or health preventative tasks, such as an annual check of cholesterol, glucose, etc, and by recording exercise. So even though our insurance coverage changed where I thought I would pay more, I actually have paid nothing except for prescriptions drugs (covered by another plan) since the put this in place. I have had enough in the account to cover all Dr's visits for both DD and I. SO my experience has been positive using an HRA.

Is your employer giving you a similar means to fund the HRA? Or do you have to fund it out of pocket?

ETA: When I say I have not paid anything except for prescriptions, I mean that I also pay monthly premium which seems to go up every year. This year mine is not going up because I do not smoke, my employer is upping the premium pretty significantly for smokers though.

[This message edited by Dreamboat at 7:37 AM, November 5th (Tuesday)]