New MN employee with 2 insurance options (high deductible with HSA or copay and deductible)
Hello! I’m a new employee in Minnesota (professor at a university) and have to decide between two health insurance options.
Background: I’m a woman in my late 30s, fairly healthy, and the only medication I’m on are birth control and spironolactone (to help with acne). I don’t go to the doctor often (maybe 1-2 times a year). I might use urgent care or virtual doctor’s if I get sick or injured (my last injury when I tripped while running during a fitness class and scrapped my chin and used telehealth to get advice on how to treat my skin so it doesn’t scar.)
Here’s a breakdown of the two options: https://imgur.com/a/4GaUQ4e
I ran some numbers and got this estimate if I were to go to the doctor 2 times per year, use urgent care 2-3 times per year, and use telehealth 3 times per year: https://imgur.com/a/FL7IEu4
On the surface, Maize seems like a better plan for me, but I can’t help but wonder if having an HSA through the Blue plan is better. On Maize I’m paying $2,004 in premium + $392 for medical costs and prescription.
On the Blue, I’m paying $1,644 in premium + $1,131 for medical costs and prescription. But excuse my ignorance as I’ve never had an HSA or FSA… if I’m reading this correctly, is it true that my employer contributes $1,200 into the HSA so I can use that money to pay for my medical costs? If my medical and prescription is $1,131 per year, am I getting reimbursed for the medical and prescription costs eventually in the end? Is that $1,200 just free money? Or is that coming out of my paycheck? Or is that their matching?
Thanks for your help! I plan to call Health Partners on Monday (it’s Saturday now), but thought I’d ask around and get people’s opinions.