Survey: HSA participants are more engaged in managing their health

NEW YORK — Employees who contribute to health savings accounts generally become more engaged in managing their health after enrolling, according to a survey conducted by Buck Consultants, a Xerox Company.

For example, 51% of respondents set aside more money for potential medical costs than before they had HSAs. As many as 29% have more discussions with their doctors about the cost of care and 13% more actively manage their chronic disease.

“In fact, respondents indicated greater engagement with each of 11 health management activities measured,” said Travis Klavohn, director, Consumer Health Solutions, BenefitWallet, a Xerox Solution. “Remarkably, these results are consistent across our three surveys conducted over a five-year period.”

HSA members are responsible for a greater portion of their health costs, so they expect tools to help them make informed, rational decisions. When ranking important HSA product features, 44% of respondents ranked the ability to view claims on the HSA site as most important. They ranked paying medical claims on the HSA member portal second at 35%.

“HSA members are making wiser health care decisions,” Klavohn said. “They are evaluating costs more closely before receiving care, shopping for lower priced drugs and choosing less costly services. They attribute their changed behavior to owning an HSA.”

The BenefitWallet: 2013 Member Survey Report found that the vast majority (90%) of HSA members obtain medical coverage through their employer. And more employers are contributing to HSAs (75%).

The survey, which polled more than 23,000 members of BenefitWallet, identifies behaviors, opinions and demographics of individuals who own HSAs.