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October 07, 2006
Health Savings Account Plan from Health Net of California Available to Individuals, Companies of Any Size
Individuals who do not have employer-sponsored health insurance, as well as employers of any size, now can purchase EZAccess HSA from Health Net of California. EZAccess HSA offers a choice of low-cost, high-deductible preferred provider organization (PPO) health insurance plans paired with an individually owned health savings account (HSA) from Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
“Our consumer-directed plans are perfect for those who are looking for low-cost coverage that provides greater personal control of health care dollars and rewards informed health care decisions,” said Stephen Lynch, president and CEO of Health Net of California. “This is another example of Health Net’s commitment to providing affordable benefits and access to quality care.”
With the EZAccess HSA, preventive care (for both children and adults) is covered without being subject to deductibles. And by paying for their remaining qualified medical expenses through an HSA, members may save, invest and spend their health care dollars free of federal taxes. In many cases, employer contributions to employees’ HSAs are not subject to FICA or FUTA taxes. EZAccess HSA account holders receive two complimentary Wells Fargo HSA cards, which provide “easy access” to their funds and work at all eligible health care providers that accept Visa® debit cards.
The number of Americans using consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) approximately doubled between January 2005 and January 2006, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. And the number of large employers offering consumer-directed plans rose from 3 percent to 20 percent between 2003 and 2005, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
One of the driving forces behind the popularity of CDHPs is their ability to better educate members about medical costs and provide an incentive for them to make cost-conscious decisions about their health care. To help its members make informed health care decisions, Health Net offers a robust decision-support system called Decision Powersm.
Decision Power provides 24/7 access to Health Coaches, specially trained and experienced professionals – such as nurses, dietitians and respiratory therapists – who are skilled at providing evidence-based health information and coaching support to help members better evaluate their available health care choices. And Decision Power provides independent access to information resources and online tools, as well as support videos, as appropriate, to assist members in making better health care decisions.
Other Health Net online decision-support tools include a hospital comparison report that provides independent analysis of area hospitals, access to evidence-based medical treatment information, and health surveys.
Posted by Wiley Long at October 7, 2006 12:29 PM