I’ve had a HSA+HDHP for years. I’ve always contributed the annual maximum into the HSA so there was never a question for me of running out of money to pay for

I’ve had a HSA+HDHP for years. I’ve always contributed the annual maximum into the HSA so there was never a question for me of running out of money to pay for care, and it hasn’t held me back from seeking medical care or treatment. However, it’s perfectly possible for someone to elect the HDHP and not contribute to their HSA, in which case you could be facing a $3000 or higher bill without the money to pay for it. It seems like this is the case described in the article. With a fully funded HSA I almost feel like I have the opposite problem, which is I don’t feel a need to attempt to shop around and compare prices. In general it feels like the HSA/HDCP experiment has failed although I’ll keep using it for as long as it’s offered, as I like the ability to build up my savings every year in the HSA and eventually use it as a second retirement account unless I have a huge medical problem in the future.