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Campaigns Spar Over Health Savings Accounts
Advisors to the campaigns of Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and President
George W. Bush (R) sparred over health care issues, including health
savings accounts (HSAs), at an Aug. 4 forum sponsored by the Alliance
for Health Reform and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation at the
National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
Senator Kerry opposes President Bush's proposal to allow full deductibility
of the premiums for high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) needed
to qualify for HSAs, and if elected, would not make HSAs a priority,
said Chris Jennings, president of Jennings Policy Strategies, Inc.
According to Jennings, this proposal would needlessly disrupt the
current employer-sponsored health care system by encouraging employees
to migrate to HSAs, while doing little to reduce the number of uninsured
or contain costs.
But Megan Hauck, deputy policy director for the Bush-Cheney 2004
campaign, cited data that up to 35 percent of HSA enrollees were
previously uninsured and more than 50 percent of HSA enrollees are
over age 40. She also cited an Aetna study that HSAs add only 1.5
percent to the cost of health insurance and result in fewer emergency
room visits.
By publishing this Update, EBS/Atlanta is
not attempting to provide any political commentary or pursuade any
voter. The purpose of this Update and any future Update during the
Presidential Elections is intended only for the purpose of providing
information concerning your benefits and those of your dependents.
EBS/Atlanta assumes no liability as to the accuracy of these Updates
since all information is gathered from news released in the public
domain or other sources.
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