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American Way:
“Planning for
the future of your health” |
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By Charlotte Huff
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For Kara Parker, the health
savings account she opened nearly two years ago provides some peace of
mind. To date, she’s accumulated nearly $2,300 in the fledgling
account, a portable health nest egg --- similar to a 401 (k) --- that
she plans to build and transport from job to job in the years ahead.
“It feels as if I’m getting a resource,” says Parker, 32, of Lafayette,
Colorado. “If I spend it all and have a bad (health) year, then,
that’s what it’s there for. If I don’t, I’m keeping the money, not the
insurance company.”
Health savings accounts, created by a 2003
law, are part of a two-tiered health-insurance approach that
proponents believe is the best antidote to rising U.S. health-care
costs. The plans, called consumer-driven or consumer-directed,
typically pair a savings account with a high-deductible insurance
policy. In exchange for often lower premiums up front, users may have
to fork over some hard-earned cash for medical care until the
deductible kicks in.
Critics, for their part, scoff at the plans’
consumer-friendly moniker, calling it an ingenious --- and misleading
--- marketing ploy.
Contact for complete
article. |
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