Health savings accounts are a very under-researched corner of the market. Investors have few resources available to help them navigate the hundreds of plan providers that exist. Health savings accounts have recently grown in popularity, but the lack of resources has likely contributed to their under utilization as a savings vehicle despite their valuable tax benefits. To provide a comprehensive resource for investors and employers selecting a plan, we assessed 10 of the largest HSA plan providers in this report. We evaluated the plans through two separate lenses: using them as a spending vehicle to cover current medical costs, and using them as an investment vehicle to save for future medical expenses.

The Gold & Precious Metals Portfolio invests in the equity securities of
foreign and domestic companies engaged in the exploration, mining,
fabrication, processing, or marketing and distribution of gold, silver,
platinum, diamonds or other precious and rare metals and minerals. The
Portfolio may also invest up to 20% of its assets directly in gold,
silver or other precious metal bullion and coins.

FUND TO REOPEN WITH BROADER INVESTMENT MANDATE AND NEW NAME
Effective on or about May 24, 2004, Vanguard Precious Metals Fund will reopen to
investors with a broader investment mandate and a new name.
The board of trustees has decided to expand the fund's investment mandate.
On the effective date of this change, the fund will invest at least 80% of its
assets in the stocks of foreign and U.S. companies principally engaged in the
exploration, mining, development, fabrication, processing, marketing, or
distribution of (or other activities related to) metals or minerals. The
majority of these companies will be principally engaged in activities related to
gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, or other precious and rare metals or minerals.
The remaining companies will be principally engaged in activities related to
nickel, copper, zinc, or other base and common metals or minerals.
The board of trustees acted in response to the increasing concentration of
the metals and minerals industries, a trend that limited the options available
to the fund's investment advisor. The decline in the number of precious metals
issues on the market, combined with the advisor's stringent quality criteria,
made it difficult to keep the portfolio fully invested while maintaining the
overall quality and diversity of its holdings. The trustees therefore decided to
broaden the range of stocks in which the fund can invest while adhering to its
traditional investment strategies.