Health Savings Account Blog

The survey also found that consumers with HSA-type plans are twice as likely (35 percent) as those with comprehensive coverage (17 percent) to delay or skip health care decisions because of cost concerns, especially consumers with existing health issues and incomes under $50,000.

This survey of ONLY 1,204 individuals was prepared by the nonprofit Employee Benefit Research Institute of Washington, D.C., and the Commonwealth Fund.

However, a University of Minnesota expert on health care coverage said the Carlson School of Management's TWO-Year study of Health Savings Accounts showed a very different result.

"We found no difference in satisfaction," said Stephen Parente, a health care economist at the Carlson School. "On a scale of 1 to 10, those with a Health Savings Account gave the coverage a 7½."

Parente said the Carlson study also did not find that consumers were skipping or delaying health care actions because of cost. He said that anecdotally, the companies he surveyed that offered a Health Savings Plan reported high employee satisfaction.

Obviously, opinions to date are mixed on the success of Health Savings Accounts. However, at HSA for America, we believe as the health care industry adapts more to accomodate individuals and families with HSAs, the satisifaction with HSA High Deductible Health Insurance Plans will only continue to get better.