Getting consumers to take a personal interest in their current health and health care utilization is a heavy enough lift for employers. Now, ask them to think about what their health care needs will be in retirement. You'd have better luck moving a mountain. According to recent data from Bend Financial, one in seven Americans have no plan for their future health care needs, and those that do are most likely underestimating how much those expenses will be. Related: Thinking outside the retirement health care solution box: Retiree reimbursement arrangements That's not to say they don't have tools at their disposal, including 401(k)s, retirement planning tools, health savings accounts and cost-estimator services. Unfortunately, many Americans say they have no clue how these tools work and find the pile of paperwork (or digital forms) and flood of information overwhelming. "Selecting benefits and understanding how HDHPs and HSAs work are the last things that should be stressful about anyone's job," said Bend Financial co-founder and CEO Tom Torre. "People often feel bombarded with information surrounding benefits, which can add to their stress and lead to choosing options that might not be the best fit for them short or long term." The survey further highlights the need for better education around health care and financial savings benefits. For instance, approximately 20% of respondents didn't know that an HSA is portable when losing or leaving a job, and 62% of HSA users expressed lack of HSA information and knowledge as the biggest challenge they faced when opening an account. "With employees continuing to shoulder more of the costs surrounding their health care, employers and HSA providers need to work together to provide clear, comprehensive educational tools and resources to help employees feel confident in making the best benefit choices," Torre said. Read more: |

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