Prescription costs on a high deductible plan with no drug plan?

[ucbalumnus]

@Consolation

Even recently, under a good corporate health plan, we had to have a deductible of $5k in order to be allowed to have an HSA. At least they have changed things so that it is no longer “use it or lose it” annually. That was ridiculous.

There is a separate type of pre-tax account for medical costs (flexible spending account or FSA) that is “use it or lose it”. The HSA that is not “use it or lose it” is associated with higher deductible insurance plans but the FSA, when available, is not tied to having a specific insurance plan.