I've studied the Health care bill and I don't hate it

[Mormon Red Death]

I would be shocked if your employer didn't offer a hsa option. During your open enrollment look into it as it should be a lot cheaper. In fact most employers ar so wanting their employees to go to an hsa they will supply some of your balance

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[pellegrino]

I would be shocked if your employer didn't offer a hsa option. During your open enrollment look into it as it should be a lot cheaper. In fact most employers ar so wanting their employees to go to an hsa they will supply some of your balance

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my employer offers an HSA, but anything you put in that wasn't used by year's end is lost. We are offered two health care plans, a ppo and an hmo. If it were just me being insured then it's not a bad deal. They don't increase the cost incrementally for each family member beyond a spouse, so we end up paying through the nose to insure the whole family (close to 12% of my annual income ). I'd rather put a large amount like that toward a sort of health care nest egg where it will actually do something later on in life. Currently it is spent and we don't come close to needing that much in health care annually.

[Mormon Red Death]

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[Mormon Red Death]

That is a flex spending account not a hsa. They are different. I will boardmail you tomorrow with some options

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[Moliere]

So, I want to add to this question, is there a way that you can have your employer take out the expense of your high deductible insurance before taxes as well as the HSA? We're paying through the nose for insurance through my employer's group plan and the coverage just doesn't match our needs, which barring catastrophe are very low. We've resisted going with an independent insurance plan because of the taxes, this seems like an attractive option.

Nope. Medical insurance premiums are not deductible from taxes if you are an individual. If you are a business then they are deductible. This is one of my pet peeves about health care and taxes is that the same item is treated differently and thus the incentive for companies to provide care. Actual medical expenses (not insurance premiums) are only deductible at 7.5% or more of your AGI, which is a threshold that not a lot of people meet.

my employer offers an HSA, but anything you put in that wasn't used by year's end is lost. We are offered two health care plans, a ppo and an hmo. If it were just me being insured then it's not a bad deal. They don't increase the cost incrementally for each family member beyond a spouse, so we end up paying through the nose to insure the whole family (close to 12% of my annual income ). I'd rather put a large amount like that toward a sort of health care nest egg where it will actually do something later on in life. Currently it is spent and we don't come close to needing that much in health care annually.

You've just explained how insurance works. You shouldn't expect to get out what you put in. Insurance should be a safeguard in case something tragic happens. The problem with "health insurance" these days is that its turned into prepaid health care. It no longer has the same characteristics as insurance. One fix to this mess is to get away from prepaid health care and allow people to have high deductible plans. Then people start paying out their pockets for every little visit to the doctor and they see just how much it costs. As of now, you only pay your copayment and you are far removed from knowing what the actual cost of your visit was, unless you read your EOBs, which most people don't.

[Babs]

Why, no, there's nothing wrong with our health system.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellnes...ry?id=13887040

[il Padrino Ute]

Why, no, there's nothing wrong with our health system.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellnes...ry?id=13887040

The prosecutor should dismiss the charges so the guy can't abuse the system.

[Donuthole]

The prosecutor should dismiss the charges so the guy can't abuse the system.

Sweet. Then he can go steal $5000. If they dismiss the charge, he'll get away with $5,000. If not, he'll get the health care he desires. His mistake was not making it enough to be a felony.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Sweet. Then he can go steal $5000. If they dismiss the charge, he'll get away with $5,000. If not, he'll get the health care he desires. His mistake was not making it enough to be a felony.

I wonder if it's still armed robbery when you claim to have a gun but don't have one in reality. I would imagine armed robbery is a felony regardless of how much money was stolen.

[Uncle Ted]

Why, no, there's nothing wrong with our health system.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellnes...ry?id=13887040

What a dumbass. Why didn't he just hop across the border for the good ole single payer health care provided by the nice canadian tax payers? In fact, even Palin use to do did this:

"We used to hustle over the border for health care we received in Canada," Palin said in her first Canadian appearance since stepping down as governor of Alaska. "And I think now, isn't that ironic?"

This seems helluva lot better than being someone's girlfriend in prison.

[Clark Addison]

I wonder if it's still armed robbery when you claim to have a gun but don't have one in reality.

It probably varies by state, but in Arizona v. McDunnough the accused was not found guilty of armed robbery in the robbery of several convenience stores where he was found to be brandishing an unloaded revolver.

[Paperback Writer]

You've just explained how insurance works. You shouldn't expect to get out what you put in. Insurance should be a safeguard in case something tragic happens. The problem with "health insurance" these days is that its turned into prepaid health care. It no longer has the same characteristics as insurance. One fix to this mess is to get away from prepaid health care and allow people to have high deductible plans. Then people start paying out their pockets for every little visit to the doctor and they see just how much it costs. As of now, you only pay your copayment and you are far removed from knowing what the actual cost of your visit was, unless you read your EOBs, which most people don't.

Just want to point out that one drawback to high deductible plans is that there are no provisions for chronic, non-preventable diseases. When my company went from a traditional plan to a HD plan, the decrease in premiums did not come close to offsetting the higher deductible. In the case of my family, the costs of treating type I (juvenile) diabetes mostly falls into the higher deductible. So we are paying out of pocket for insulin, blood glucose testing supplies, and required quarterly visits with a specialist which is very different from "every little visit to the doctor". So HD plans are part of "the fix" but they also mean increased costs to families who may have little control over the majority of their health care expenses.

[Paperback Writer]

Why, no, there's nothing wrong with our health system.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellnes...ry?id=13887040

The guy is a dead ringer for Martin Sheen's portrayal of Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg.

[LA Ute]

I've studied the health care bill and I do hate it. Now get off my lawn!

[Mormon Red Death]

I really don't understand why this was needed. I started using a HSA this year and think it's a great idea. This is a lame provision, but that's just my opinion.

They are tightening the rules on what can be used for a health savings account to cut out tax deductions.