Melanie Lipsey

During open enrollment, consumers reviewing health insurance may want to consider HSA-eligible plans as one way to save on health care expenses.
One licensed agent said these plans can work well for people who do not expect extensive medical care and want savings for higher out-of-pocket costs.
HSA funds belong to the account holder and can be used tax-free for qualified expenses, including prescriptions, dental care, eyeglasses, and over-the-counter items.
Other eligible uses mentioned included physical therapy, weight-loss management, smoking-cessation assistance, and transportation tied to health care, showing HSAs can cover varied routine needs.
To qualify, consumers must enroll in a high-deductible health plan; experts said that coverage will not fit everyone, making a clear review of options important.

HSAs Build Long-Term Savings

A new online tool compared included dental benefits in US individual private senior health plans for 2027 and 2026, helping agents prepare renewal conversations.
For 2027 renewals, 31% of members were in plans cutting annual dental maximums, typically by $500, while 11% were in plans raising them.
Another 15% of members were in plans raising coinsurance on at least one comprehensive service for 2027, while 2% were in plans lowering it.
Overall, 14% of members were in plans improving dental benefits without tradeoffs, 35% faced only reductions, 10% saw mixed changes, and 41% stayed unchanged.
Current filings showed heavy turnover: ~1K plans did not reappear for 2027 and 994 were new, so dental comparisons matter when clients change coverage.