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CDHP, HDHP Companies
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BUSH CALLS FOR EXPANDING HSAs
President Bush called on lawmakers to “move forward on a comprehensive healthcare agenda,” including expanded health savings accounts, in his State of the Union address.
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HSA COALITION BLASTS COMMONWEATH FUND STUDY
HSA Coalition (Washington), a lobbying group promoting health savings accounts, lashed out at a recently released study by the Commonwealth Fund (Washington), which found that increased cost sharing causes patients to forego filling prescriptions and skip needed medical treatments and tests.
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A THIRD OF HSA BUYERS ARE UNINSURED, STUDY SAYS
One third of consumers who purchased an HSA-compatible high-deductible health plan through online broker eHealthInsurance (Mountain View, CA) last year were previously uninsured, according to a study released by the company.
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HSA UPTAKE JUST 3%, HEWITT SAYS
Only 3% of employees who were offered an HSA-compatible health plan enrolled as of January 2005, according to benefit consultant Hewitt Associates (Lincolnshire, IL).
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PLAN COMPARISON CHARTS ARE POPULAR, HEWITT SAYS
Health plan comparison charts, which show the varying cost and coverage levels of different health insurance options, are the most popular online tool among employees, according to Hewitt Associates (Lincolnshire, IL).
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GOLDEN RULE LAUNCHES CATASTROPHIC “SAVER” PLAN
UnitedHealth’s Golden Rule Insurance Co. (Indianapolis), a pioneer in HSA administration, has expanded its existing product line with three low-cost health plans called “Saver,” which provide coverage for costly medical expenses such as hospital confinements, outpatient surgeries and CAT scans, while limiting routine expenses such as physician office visits and preventive care.
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FEHBP HSA PENETRATION STILL NOT KNOWN
Just how many federal employees have enrolled in HSA-compatible high-deductible health plans? According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which administers the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, the figures aren’t in yet.
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ASSURANT SEES GAINS IN INDIVIDUAL HSAs
Assurant Inc. (New York) reported that gains in premium revenues at its health segment in 2004 were attributable in part to successful introduction of individual health insurance policies that included an HSA.
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EMPLOYERS FEAR WORKERS MAY SKIP CARE, SURVEY SAYS
More than 75% of employers believe that cost-sharing causes consumers to forgo needed medical care and has a negative impact on individuals with chronic conditions, according to a survey commissioned by the California HealthCare Foundation (Oakland, CA).
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PEOs SEE HSA PLANS AS GOOD FIT
For professional employer organizations, which manage the human resources needs of small businesses on an outsourced basis, HSA-compatible high-deductible health plans are a natural fit.
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