The HSA Healthcare Blog

Think mandating health insurance coverage at the national level is the functional equivalent of states mandating that drivers carry auto insurance?
Obama does.
He’s wrong.
Again.
As Judson Berger of Fox News points out, there are many differences between mandated health insurance and auto insurance. Here are a few highlights:
Auto insurance is avoidable – health insurance is not.
Car [...]

In a recent editorial, the Wall Street Journal hits the highlights of why allowing Uncle Sam to become Dr. Sam is an inherently flawed concept.
As the Journal recognizes, a new Gov’t plan would become yet another middle-class entitlement (as if we don’t have enough already).
So what’s wrong with entitlements?
Nothing.
It’s just that somebody has [...]

The ever increasing costs make the current system unsustainable, by any measure.

In another blow to the idea of universal health care coverage, states such as Washington are dropping plans to expand health insurance for kids.
Today, about 76,000 children are uninsured in Washington, or about the same amount as in 2002.  Story from Seattle Times.
Sounds like virtually no progress has been made toward insuring all the children. [...]

The day before Bush leaves office, a new executive rule goes into effect that allows medical providers to refuse to provide service on consciencious grounds.  Historically, medical providers were required to provide treatment within the scope of their license regardless of their personal viewpoints, etc.
The general thinking is that this rule will have the greatest [...]

In a startling report, the WSJ indicates that the cost of an average health plan is approaching half of an average family’s income.
This must be a misprint.WSJ Health Blog Link
But it’s not, of course.

The reality is that few people actually pay $12,000 a year for their health plan — the majority of that cost is [...]

As if the downturn in the economy weren’t enough, small businesses are looking forward to increases in health care costs after seeing nominal hikes in the recent past.
For the last few years, increases have been lagging behind the stratospheric numbers seen just a few years before.  But now, companies are seeing big time increases once [...]

In a sure sign of the economic times, more people are putting off surgeries and other hospital treatments.  The postponement of hernias, knee replacements, weight loss surgery and the like are creating cash flow havoc in many hospitals.  The situation is so dire that some hospitals are being forced to close.
Lucrative surgeries being postponed
As fewer [...]

If people truly want to know the scoop on health plan proposals made both by Obama and McCain, all they need to do is read “the Journal.”
Once again, the WSJ has nailed it.
This time, the tag line to the story reads (correctly):  Obama supports huge tax subsidies for the wealthy.
What’s funny is, he doesn’t even [...]

As a member of the baby boom generation, I was particuarly intrigued by this article from the Philly Daily News discussing the ever-changing eating habits of fellow boomers.
Mickey D’s?  We still eat there, but we’ll have the yogurt and salad with low-fat dressing, thanks.
We’re not searching for the fountain of youth — we’re searching for [...]