Figure Out Health Savings Accounts with People Like You: Rebecca

Special Guest Contributor: Justine Burnham

Last week we launched a blog series to introduce you to the National HSA Awareness Day panelists who will be putting their HSA knowledge and experience to work to help more people figure out how health savings accounts (HSAs) work. You first met Eddie, who initially enrolled in an HSA after learning his employer contributed “free money” to it.

This week, meet Rebecca Dunlap. Rebecca, 47, has a master’s degree and works in special education. When she’s not at work, you can find her practicing hot yoga, enjoying happy hour with her friends and playing with her dog. She’s also passionate about volunteering, community involvement and travel.

Having done her own research to “get smart” about HSAs, Rebecca has great insight into how they work and why they’re valuable. At first, Rebecca says, “I wasn’t aware of what ‘high-deductible’ was or what that could do for me, so I didn’t choose that plan. I chose more of the traditional plan with the lower copays—something that seemed more affordable for me.”

But after a year or two at her current employer, Rebecca decided to do some research on her own and realized the many benefits of a high-deductible health plan supplemented by an HSA, including a lower monthly insurance premium and the elimination of a copay once the deductible was met. “That’s when I decided to sign up for that and start putting my money towards an HSA instead of using my money to pay premiums,” says Rebecca. “Basically, I decided to pay myself first!”

Maybe you, like Rebecca, initially missed out on the advantages of an HDHP and an HSA because the savings and advantages were obscured by confusing language. The great news is that it’s not too late to change your story and build your financial literacy.

Both Eddie and Rebecca will be coming to you via livestream on the first annual National HSA Awareness Day on Oct. 15, along with financial expert Jean Chatzky and one other panelist, who you will also meet on our blog. Register for this free, educational broadcast at www.HSAday.com.

Check back next week to meet our next HSA Day panelist. And if you’ve already realized that HSAs are an excellent tool for saving and paying for medical expenses, please join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #LoveMyHSA.