Overheard @: HSA enrollees have no regrets

As more employers switch to CDHPs and HSAs to fight the good fight against health care costs, they have greater reassurance that the plans will be well-received by employees, as two new surveys show HSA participants have few regrets about switching to the plans.

In an online survey by OptumHealth, 82% are content with their accounts and 74% would recommend an HSA to a friend. The online survey involved 500 HSA owners and was conducted in February and March.

Further, countering the charge from opponents that HSAs are only for the healthy and wealthy, America’s Health Insurance Plan reports that almost half (49%) of HSA holders live in neighborhoods with median incomes under $50,000, according to 2000 Census data.

AHIP also finds about 8 million Americans are covered by an HSA-eligible insurance plan. The study also reveals that HSA owners are forward thinkers when it comes to financial and physical well-being. For instance, 64% have asked about generic options for medication and 47% have queried their physicians about charges.

HSA accountholders also believe that people need to become more engaged in their health care, with 83% of respondents agreeing that consumers should research and comparison shop their health care options as they would for a new television set. Additionally, 72% said that individuals should be responsible for helping to manage their health care costs.

Related EBN coverage:
Readers sound off on March editorial [on HSAs]
CDHPs praised, ROI panned

Overheard @: Health care stakeholders comment on Obama budget

Following this morning's announcement of President Obama's budget proposals, which make significant investments in health care reform, benefits experts offered their opinions:

Tracey Moorhead, president of DMAA, lauded the budget for channeling "health care dollars to where they are needed most: prevention and care strategies shown to create value and improve outcomes. His plan also recognizes the basic need to help the uninsured and underinsured maintain health status, rather than become costly victims of chronic illness."

Karen Ignagni, AHIP president and CEO also released a favorable statement, saying, “Today’s budget submission sends a signal to the American people that this Administration is serious about prioritizing health care. We applaud the president for laying out a bold framework and setting aside significant resources to put our nation on a path towards comprehensive health care reform, which is a goal that has eluded our country for more than a century." (Click here to read the full statement.)

News You Can Use: AHIP offers tit-for-tat reform proposal

America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) last week offered its own health care reform proposal on behalf of the nation's insurers. Although the plan would require a mandate for all Americans to purchase health insurance -- an idea rejected by President-elect Obama -- the industry cedes ground by stating the plan would prohibit insurers to reject individuals based on health status.

Read the full proposal here, then voice your opinions to Obama's health care team.