Changes to the Health Savings Account (HSA)

There are many changes occurring to the health insurance industry today and there are expected to be more changes coming over the next few years. The most important change that will be coming is the complete elimination of the health savings account. This will hurt many individuals and families that have relied on the freedom that this has offered ever since its inception. The affordable care act that was passed and signed into law in March 2010 will be the death knell to this very attractive health insurance that is offered through Empire Blue Cross healthy New York as well as all the other health insurance providers that offer the health savings account.

Another health insurance NY policy that will be discontinued as a provision of the affordable care act is the Medicare Advantage health insurance plan. The discontinuance of the Medicare Advantage health insurance plan will hurt our senior citizens that have been fortunate to have this health insurance to pick up the twenty percent slack of the initial Medicare health insurance plan that is operated through the federal government.
The health savings account does require a deposit up to five thousand dollars before it becomes activated, but it has grown to a popular status due to the freedoms that it offers all who are enrolled into the plan. However, all the health insurance providers that are involved, including healthy New York understand that the proverbial clock is winding down and this will be another group of individuals that will be hurt when it is discontinued.

The health savings account has been enjoyed by many and offered the freedom of choice for each policyholder.  Until recently, all subscribers to the health savings account were able to purchase over the counter medication and pay for it through their health saving account, but all this has changed recently. A side effect of the health savings account as noted through the healthy New York program is the rise in personal responsibility that has become evident with each subscriber.

Depending on the decision that will be made through the Supreme Court, we the people will soon be enlightened if the government run single payer health insurance system will be the new law of the land. If this does pass the test, what will happen to the health insurance providers?  The states are currently preparing for the state run health insurance exchanges that are to be in place by January 2014.