STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Not to be a Debbie Downer here, but HSA's aren't always as good as they sound. I can't speak to this specific bill (which is wierd already since it's a bill, most HSA's are through insurance companies), but HSA's are pretty notorious in health policy circles as a way for Republicans to look like they care about the health of the nation when all they really do is save people with insurance already a small amount of money. They were W's way of looking good while simultaneously cutting Medicaid funding- not cool in my book. They haven't been shown to work that they save individuals any amount of money, and it's too early to show that they have any health benefits.

HSA's are a good idea, on paper: Give people a tax break on preventive health services (like gym memberships), they are healthier and therefore will require less expensive health care treatments later on in life. Sounds great.

However, a good portion of insurance companies and employers already do this so why involve the goverment? If most people with insurance can tap into a HSA without this bill (and most are pre-tax anyway), why do this? Because it looks great to the middle-class, a portion of the country that the Republicans are going to need in the upcoming election.

I'm really sorry if this offends anyone, but HSA's are stinky. Work on getting insurance of some sort for the almost 50 million uninsured in the country and get SCHIP (state children's insurance programs) renewed and then maybe we'll talk.

ETA: I looked the bill up online...more detractors have pointed out that the people who this will really benefit is the fitness industry. (Which is why Fitness Magazine is promoting it)

I don't know...it will work for some peple and save some people money but I guess I just wish more attention was paid to the uninsured rather than people who already have insurance and who just want to save some money.