HSA Maximum Contribution Going Up!

I just found out that the maximum Health Savings Account contribution is going up for 2012! As you avid readers will recall from a previous blog post, the 2011 family maximum was $6150. The new maximum family contribution for 2012 is $6250. Not a huge increase, but an increase none the less. In these tough economic times, $100 is nothing to sneeze at. Hurray, for $100 more tax free money to save for my family's medical expenses!

Lab Bill #2

I received the lab bill from my last appointment. My blood was run through about 10 different tests: Rubella, RH, HCG, Viral antibody, Hep B, etc. The total charge was $619.83, but because I get my insurance company's contract rate, $506.86 was deducted. This made my final bill $112.97. Not bad, not bad at all!

The Murky Waters of Insurance

My husband is self employed, so it was up to us to find the right insurance for our family. We have a large family, two adults and five kids, and have no major health problems. We go to the doctor only when necessary, but wanted to make sure that our family had insurance coverage in the event of an emergency. We discussed our insurance options and decided that it didn't make sense financially to pay for a full coverage policy costing us over $1000 a month for our family of seven. We saw it as throwing money down the drain. Instead, with our frugal and conservative leanings, we looked at Health Savings Account options.

I took the plunge and delved into the murky waters of the insurance world. I searched the internet for days, comparing policies, looking at fine print, and trying to figure out what exactly we needed for our family. I liked the HSA policies that I saw, and especially the price flexibility that accompanied them! My only concern was that none covered maternity expenses. I am thirty-four and still have some child bearing years left. My husband and I see children as a blessing and would gladly welcome more children to our family.

We talked it over and decided that we could manage with an HSA if I got pregnant, that we would probably even save money paying out of pocket, versus paying for full maternity coverage. We are frugal and can ask questions. We can save money for pregnancy expenses, without having to just give all that money to an insurance company each month. So we did it! We signed up for a high deductible policy with an HSA for a mere $391 a month! Not bad for a family of seven.

So here we are a year later and I am pregnant. The journey begins.

Welcome

Welcome! I have decided to write this blog, because there seems to be a lack of information out there about what it is really like to go through a pregnancy without traditional maternity coverage. I have a high deductible insurance plan with an HSA (Health Savings Account) instead.

I have searched the internet and have yet to find anyone writing about what it is like to use an HSA to pay for their pregnancy. What does it cost to have a baby with an HSA (high deductible plan) instead of traditional maternity coverage? We will unearth this together! Consider me your guinea pig. Just kidding. I am not a writer, or an insurance agent. Just a mom, who wants to share her experience, in hope that it will help and encourage others.  Health Savings Account. Unearthing the truth through personal experience.