HSA Bank: No set-up fees
 

HSA Ed off Accountholders off Employers on Agents Brokers off

HSA Program Design

What Makes an HSA Program Successful?

Implementing a new healthcare option can be a long and arduous process. It can be frustrating to rollout a new healthcare option to dismal enrollment rates. To make your hard work payoff, you may need to examine your approach to the program design.

The benefits HSAs offer you and your employees will most likely go unrealized unless your HSA program is designed to encourage participation. Below are plan design recommendations and examples that can maximize your enrollment potential.

Plan Design Recommendations

Incentivize the Program
Premium costs of HSA-compatible plans are typically lower than traditional plans; however, with the lower cost is a higher deductible. Here are a few things you can do to ease the transition to your HSA program.

  • Offer to pay a higher percentage of the premium
  • Provide two HSA-compatible plan deductible levels
  • Pay the initial set-up and monthly fees of the HSA
  • Contribute to your employees' HSAs


Education & Communication
HSAs are relatively new, so education is extremely important. A recent HSA Bank survey found that employers that spent more than an hour on education had an increased acceptance rate.

  • Begin your communication early, well before enrollment begins
  • Educate your employees and their spouse (when applicable)
  • Utilize HSA Bank's Employer Communication Kit, which provides:
    • Timely and relevant communications to distribute to employees
    • Webcasts and Adobe® Flash presentations available for download
business meeting

Program Design Examples

Premium Concerns – for employees that place a high value on low premium costs.

  • Pay 80-100% of employee premiums towards an HSA-compatible health plan
  • Offer several deductible options to ease the transition to HSA plans

 
Deductible Concerns - for employees that are concerned about high deductibles.

  • Contribute 50-100% of the deductible to the HSA
  • Pay the applicable set-up and monthly fees associated with the HSA

 

Combination – for employees that place a high value on having low premium costs.

  • Pay 75-100% of employee premiums towards an HSA-compatible health plan
  • Contribute 30-60% of the deductible to the HSA
  • Pay applicable set-up and monthly fees for the HSA

Employer Case Study

Wondering if our plan design tips are effective? Read our Webster Bank Case Study to see how these tips can improve your HSA enrollment and reduce both you and your employees medical costs. The study examines the design and success of Webster Bank’s HSA program over a three year period.

Complete the Program Design Worksheet

We developed the Program Design Worksheet to help you design your HSA program and communication strategy. You’ll first need to answer questions regarding your company size, plan options and objectives. Specific recommendations regarding program design and tips for communicating the HSA offering are created from your answers.