Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): Solution or Problem?

Center for American Progress Health Policy Director Karen Davenport joined CNBC to discuss Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). 4/2/07

www.AMERICANPROGRESS.org

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• health
• medical
• doctor
• savings
• money
• seeprogress
• policy
• congress
• bush
• insurance
• hospital
• medicare
• medicaid
• universal

[tomtom940]

@Vetwolf13 I lived there (Canada and France anyway) for 13 years and let me tell you, the health care there is vastly superior....

[Vetwolf13]

If anyone is stupid enough to tell you privatizing health care will make it more affordable ask them how much people in Canada, Germany or France pay for it. Then say

"I thought so!"

[erindrake2010]

It is highley unlikely that these accounts will make any real impact on the cost of care. Most people do not go to the doctor for frivelous things because they are generlaly not covered by insurance and are expensive. They ar ehowever more likely to use emergency facilities because their routine care costs are so high they are avoided. That means hmo's and cost cutting insurance companies help produce higher costs not lower costs.

[erindrake2010]

Ok point 1 mandating employers to contribute to people's personal accounts is unconstitutional and lowers pay to employees and also discourages employers fromn offer the accounts through work. Point 2 people can only contribute if they have enough funds to do so on top of insurance premiums which in and of it's self seems to mean they in fact may pay more for health care in general after assesing the money set aside , used and also spent on premiums , co pays and deductibles.

[SooNerdy]

@pluto4847 Technically, yes because hsa's are just a savings account. Now getting the hsa qualified plan is dependent on the insurance carrier and how they assess the pre-existing condition. What's great about hsa's is it encourages people to be cost conscience for the smaller costs for healthcare and save for future costs. Ultimately it helps keep healthcare in this country sustainable because it includes individual responsibility - we're all dependent on Americans being responsible.

[pluto4847]

@SooNerdy In an HSA, can you have a pre-existing cnmndition?

[SooNerdy]

HSA's are fantastic, but you still need to get a deductible you can afford and raise it as you accumulate savings.

[macarajunia]

national health care is the answer

[zetalilly]

We had an HSA account for 3 years (spanning 4 calendar years) and we thought it was great until we had a child with a serious illness. Our out of pocket each year was 9,000. That's $750 a month: more than our mortgage payment. And there was nothing we could do about it. We finally found a job that had better healthcare, but switching midyear, you still have to pay off the first deductible as well as the deduct for the second. It makes me want to cry thinking about it.

[Rexanglorum]

Healthcare products are not black and white many healthcare goods can produce a tiny amount of benefits and cost a great deal. When people pay nothing they will consume all healthcare that could have any benefits regardless of the price. This drives of the cost of healthcare a great deal. Making people pay some of the cost makes them reluctant to consume care that has very little benefit and very little cost.