| As Health Savings Accounts grow in popularity, there | | | | limited resources, single-payer systems tend to |
| is growing fear among those who want to nationalize | | | | overspend on primary care for the healthy, while |
| healthcare that they will not be able to put the cat | | | | denying more expensive specialist care to those with |
| back in the bag. There are already over 3 million HSA | | | | serious medical problems. This is because most |
| owners, and by 2010, the Treasury Department | | | | people (voters) are healthy most of the time, and |
| estimates as many as 45 million Americans will be | | | | the sick and dieing are less likely to be able to |
| covered by HSA plans. They will have billions of | | | | organize into a political force.What makes the United |
| dollars invested to cover future medical expenses, | | | | States such a great country is the "freedoms" we |
| and by then it will be politically impossible to take that | | | | enjoy. Though our freedoms seem to be constantly |
| benefit away.If you currently have a high-deductible | | | | under attack, there is still no nation in the world that |
| health insurance plan, you can invest tax-free money | | | | has the freedom of the press, freedom of religion, |
| in a Health Savings Account. You get to choose the | | | | freedom of association, or the free markets that we |
| type of investment - anything from savings accounts | | | | have in the United States. As anyone who |
| or money market funds, to a full brokerage house. If | | | | understands even a smidgen of economics knows, |
| you invest wisely, you could have well over $500,000 | | | | free markets encourage competition and innovation, |
| in the account when you retire. You will be able to | | | | which lead to lower prices and better quality.Though |
| use that money to pay for your healthcare in | | | | the U.S. system of health care can not really be |
| whatever way you please, tax free. You can go to | | | | considered a "free-market", it is certainly much more |
| the best surgeons, or the least expensive | | | | free than any single payer system. Some of the |
| doc-in-a-box. If you decide to treat a condition with | | | | benefits we see as a result of our current healthcare |
| acupuncture, homeopathy, or psychic healers, you | | | | system include:- U.S. medicine produces the best |
| can do that too. Whoever offers you the service | | | | outcomes for virtually every patient, from premature |
| you want with the best combination of quality and | | | | babies to elderly cancer patients. |
| price should get your business. And since you are the | | | | - American companies are the chief source |
| one paying, it will be completely your choice. You | | | | worldwide of new treatments and procedures which |
| have healthcare freedom.If proponents of a | | | | each year are used to save millions of lives. |
| single-payer system were to ever have their way, | | | | - U.S. medical training and research facilities are the |
| you would be at the mercy of a government | | | | best in the world.Though Canadians might have to |
| bureaucrat when it comes to your healthcare. To see | | | | wait a year or two for hip replacement surgery, they |
| what this may look like, all one has to do is look at | | | | can get the same operation done on their dog in less |
| the state of health care in Canada, England, New | | | | than a week. This is because veterinarians are |
| Zealand, and the parts of Europe that have not yet | | | | competing for that business, finding innovative ways |
| abandoned single-payer systems.Proponents of a | | | | to deliver service more quickly and less expensively. |
| single-payer system tend to point to Canada or | | | | Another example is laser eye surgery, a procedure |
| England as countries that cover all their citizens with | | | | that is rarely covered by insurance, so laser eye |
| quality healthcare, while spending less money per | | | | surgeons must compete on the basis of cost and |
| person than the U.S. But if we look a little more | | | | quality. While costs for most medical procedures have |
| closely, we see that these publicly financed health | | | | been going up every year, the cost for this |
| insurance systems are breaking down, the quality is | | | | procedure has dropped by 80% over the past |
| low, and the costs can be quite high. Here's what | | | | decade.Unfortunately, U.S. healthcare policies still tend |
| Canadians have to deal with if they need medical | | | | to limit competition, restrict consumer's freedom to |
| care:Long waits. Hundreds of Canadians go to Detroit | | | | choose, and discourage consumers from shopping for |
| and other U.S. cities every year for procedures like | | | | value. Thus, there are too few choices and there has |
| CAT scans, which they can obtain treatment in a | | | | been little attention paid to price and quality of |
| matter of days. In Canada, the wait is typically six | | | | service. The answer is clearly not more government |
| months. Currently 876,000 Canadians are on waiting | | | | intervention, but instead letting competition and the |
| lists for medical procedures.Difficulty in getting | | | | power of the marketplace drive down prices and |
| life-enhancing procedures done. If a Canadian is | | | | increase quality and access to care.Health Savings |
| having a heart attack, they will be treated right then. | | | | Accounts are the SolutionThere is increasing |
| But if the surgery is considered "elective" (meaning | | | | recognition that third-party health insurance payers |
| that possible death is not eminent), the wait could be | | | | are actually a major cause of escalating medical costs |
| months or years. Average wait for cataract removal | | | | and the decline in the quality of service. The |
| is 18 months. Average wait for a knee replacement is | | | | increasing adoption of HSA plans has already begun |
| one year.Increased risk of dieing. The average | | | | to cause greater transparency and competition in the |
| Canadian waits eight weeks to see a specialist, and | | | | medical marketplace. There are now physicians |
| another nine weeks before getting treated. This is | | | | available by phone, medical kiosks setting up in malls, |
| even the case with conditions that are likely to get | | | | doctors that accept only cash (and who charge |
| much worse if there is any delay in treatment. For | | | | significantly less), and others competing directly for |
| example, the median time for a mastectomy is 14 | | | | the consumer's healthcare dollar.Don't be fooled by |
| weeks, enough time for the cancer to spread to | | | | the politicians who advocate a single-payer system, |
| other parts of the body. In fact, 28% of those | | | | claiming their only concern is the uninsured. If a single |
| diagnosed with breast cancer in Canada die from it, | | | | body (such as a government bureaucracy) controls |
| while the mortality ratio in the U.S. is only 25%.Things | | | | healthcare, they control one seventh of the national |
| don't look any better across the ocean. Each year | | | | economy. And everywhere in the world that central |
| the British National Health Service cancels 410,000 | | | | control of the economy has been tried, it has been a |
| surgeries because of resource shortages. According | | | | colossal failure.As public policy reforms centered on |
| to the London Sunday Times, there are currently | | | | individual choice continue to gain wider footholds, the |
| over 1 million Brits awaiting elective surgery. Thomas | | | | result will be greater prosperity, greater choice, and a |
| Cook, a British travel agency, is even considering | | | | better value for all. The culture of dependence and |
| offering "sun-and-surgery" packaged trips to Indian | | | | entitlement will begin to fade, as millions of individuals |
| hospitals for British citizens fed up with low standards | | | | demand further policy reforms that will reinstate the |
| and long waiting times for surgery.The British and | | | | values of freedom and personal responsibility that |
| Canadian governments have the power to make | | | | helped establish this great nation.As more consumers |
| healthcare "free", but they are unable to control its | | | | turn to health savings accounts, the market will |
| costs. So the costs become longer (and potentially | | | | respond. Innovative providers will begin to compete |
| fatal) delays, and fewer innovations.It's not surprising | | | | more on price and quality of service, and those that |
| when you think about what is happening. Universal | | | | provide the best value will get wealthy doing so. And |
| health insurance systems always encourage | | | | all consumers will benefit.By Wiley Long - President, |
| over-consumption by patients, and such | | | | HSA for America - HSA for America makes it easy |
| over-consumption always leads to financial crises. The | | | | to learn about and set up a Health Savings Account |
| result is inevitably broken promises about universal | | | | (HSA) that best meets your needs. Please link to this |
| access and quality care. Because there are always | | | | site when using this article. |