Obamacare HSA

If you read the law, the HSA (Health Savings Account) qualified health insurance plans will go away in 2014. The deductibles are too high, they don't have copay's, and most of them have much more out of pocket than the government says you should have.

But the folks in the cornhusker state have other ideas.

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heninemen sent a letter to HHS Sec. Sebelius asking for permission to offer HSA qualified plans through their state exchange.

Did you ever think the day would come when you would have to ask a non-elected official for permission to market health insurance? I didn't.

Heineman sent the letter more than two weeks after submitting an insurance plan with an $8,000 deductible for families as the minimum standard for individual and small group plans to be offered when the federal health care overhaul kicks in fully.

The high-deductible plan would be the benchmark for policies sold both inside and outside of the health insurance exchange to be created under the federal law.

Omaha.com, "Heineman wants to fund health accounts".

A thinking Republican governor. I like it.

In the letter, Heineman said his insurance proposal would reduce the federal government's cost for premium subsidies by keeping premiums lower.

“Consumers could better control their health care costs” if they have to pay more upfront, he added.

At the same time, Heineman said, a federal subsidy for health savings accounts would help people get their health care needs met and ensure that doctors, hospitals and other health care providers get paid.

Logical, fiscally sound arguments all around,

Probably doesn't stand a chance in DC.

(State Sen. Jeremy Nordquist) also questioned whether it would put health care in reach for many Nebraska families.

“For me, affordability is about how much does it cost to get you health care when you need it,” Nordquist said.

What good is it to have health insurance with low deductibles and low copay's if no one can afford the premiums. Just shows how out of touch most politicians are.

The government wants us to drive fuel efficient cars that get 60 MPG. Sounds great, but not if we have to pay double the current price of a car to get that kind of mileage.