Personal Choice® EPO Reserve plan with an HSA
Our Personal Choice EPO Reserve plan works like other EPO health plans, in that you can see any in-network doctor or specialist without a referral. But with the HSA-qualified plan, you can set aside money in a tax-advantaged health savings account (HSA) for any qualified medical expenses you may have.
This money can be used for copays, deductibles, and coinsurance for health services. It can even be used to pay for some health services that may not be covered by your plan, such as LASIK surgery. And you don’t need to worry about using all of your HSA dollars during a given year. Any leftover money rolls over at the end of the year — and can be used to pay for qualified medical expenses during the following year.
To learn more about EPOs in general, read What is an EPO?
Is an EPO Reserve plan with an HSA the right plan for you?
An HSA-qualified health plan may be the best health plan for you and your family if you live within one of these five counties and want to save money on current and future (after the current plan year) health care expenses. These types of plans allow you to spend your health care dollars on qualified medical expenses — tax-free.
How an HSA saves you money
HSA plans are more affordable than many other health plans, so you save money on your monthly premiums. Plus, you can save even more by investing in a tax-advantaged account that earns interest. Any tax you’ve paid on the money you contributed to your HSA will be returned to you when you file your annual taxes. Plus, you don’t have to pay taxes on the money you withdraw for qualified medical expenses, or on the interest earned by your account.
Benefits of an HSA
- Use the money you save to make tax-deductible HSA contributions
- Take tax-free withdrawals to pay for qualified medical expenses
- Save for future health care expenses
Personal Choice EPO Reserve plan option
| Personal Choice EPO Bronze Reserve | |
|---|---|
| Deductible | $7,450 |
| Primary care physician visit | 0% after deductible |
| Specialist visit | 0% after deductible |
| Inpatient hospital | 0% after deductible |
| Generic prescription drugs | 0% after deductible (integrated with medical deductible) |
| View more info | Download pdf |
Open an HSA
Through Independence, you can set up an integrated HSA — or you can set up an HSA with another vendor. When opening an HSA through Independence, you can easily set up your account, view your activity, and even pay in-network providers by logging in to ibx.com.
It’s easy to set up an HSA: simply create an account at ibxpress.com after you enroll in the EPO Reserve plan. Once you’re logged in, click on the Claims & Spending tab and select Open a Health Savings Account under “I want to”. Once your information has been processed, you will receive a welcome kit and a separate HSA Visa debit card in the mail.
Advantages of an HSA-qualified plan:
- Convenient account management through ibx.com
- Easy claim payment and reimbursement process for qualified out-of-pocket expenses through our member site
- An HSA Mastercard® debit card that can be used to pay for medical expenses directly from the spending account
- Direct contributions can be transferred online
- An interest-bearing account that allows you access to a wide variety of industry-leading investment options to help you maximize savings year after year
- Once your balance reaches $500, you can invest any portion of the balance above that level
Resources
- Find out which health providers are available in this plan.
- Compare the Personal Choice EPO Reserve health plan to our other health plans.
- Still have questions about the Personal Choice EPO Reserve health plan? Call a licensed agent to learn more about your health options at 1-888-475-6206 (TTY:711).
- Ready to enroll? Apply now.
Additional information
Review important information to get a better understanding of our individual and family health insurance policies and guidelines and the steps Independence Blue Cross takes to help you receive appropriate covered services.