Guaranteed Healthcare

I am a 44 year old self-employed woman. I was uninsured for several years. In 2005, I decided to sign up for a Heath Savings Account along with a required, approved, high-deductible insurance plan offered here in Washington. My yearly deductible started out at $2500, and the monthly premium was $129/mo. The next year, my deductible was raised to $3000, and my premium dropped to $119/mo.

When I got my notice in November for 2008's increases, my deductible would stay at $3000, but my premium would be $146/mo. The tax deduction I took from using most of the money in my "savings" account last year for a thyroid disorder has forced me to pay the alternative minimum tax! I'm usually in the 15% tax bracket (I make about $38,000/yr). So, the "tax savings" allowed by the plan didn't apply.

I came to the conclusion that:
1) a health savings account plan helps the banking industry by getting consumers to "save" as much money as possible and in return giving them less than regular savings account interest rates.
2) The insurance industry can keep you paying monthly premiums, so they have guaranteed profits, while regularly raising your deductibles. This guarantees that they never have to cover any routine or chronic care expenses - which we, as consumers pay out of pocket.

I dropped my health coverage because the amount I'm paying in premiums and the tax deductions I'm NOT getting will more than cover my out-of-pocket expenses. Why should I pay an insurance company monthly premiums and our government more in taxes, then end up paying all my health care expenses anyway?

People, the HSA system is a SCAM. It is a nicely packaged and sold shell game cooked up by our so-called representatives, the banks and insurance companies. They are the ONLY beneficiaries of the HSA plans. As far as the medication I'm taking for my thyroid condition... I get mine from Canada. My doctor faxes a prescription to a Canadian pharmacy and I get my prescription in the mail for about $2 less per month than I did here in the U.S. with my HSA prescription "discount".