News Release
OPM Posts Additional Questions and Answers to Its HSA Website to Meet Ongoing Surge in Interest in the New Health-Care Product
Website has attracted more than 80,000 visitors looking for additional HSA information
Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has posted to its website a new round of answers to frequently asked questions about the Health Savings Account product that will be offered through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program in 2005.
The posting of additional "frequently asked questions" and answers is the result of enormous interest in the new health-care product, as registered by the total number of visitors to OPM's Health Savings Account (HSA) web site (www.opm.gov/hsa).
"By their interest and their inquiries to the HSA website, federal employees are telling us they like having choices in their FEHB Program," said OPM Director Kay Coles James. "And their enthusiasm and desire for news about the HSA product have prompted us to post additional questions and answers to further quench their thirst for information and assist them in the decision-making process."
To date, OPM's HSA website has attracted 82,686 visitors since its debut on September 20. The website lets visitors register for e-mail updates and information, and 11,000 visitors have signed up for this service.
Health Savings Accounts are tax-advantaged products that empower enrollees in High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) to use their medical dollars wisely and save money for future medical needs. In 2005, the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program is offering 18 HDHPs, through which HAS accounts are available.
President George W. Bush made HSAs available to federal employees with the signing of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003.
In addition, a link from OPM's federal jobs website (www.usajobs.opm.gov) contains a link to the HSA site. On average, USAJOBS advertises 17,000 federal job openings each day. James hopes the availability of the new health product will spur highly qualified men and women in a variety of professional, administrative and technical fields to consider federal careers.
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