May 12, 2014
High-deductible health plans appeared after legislation was passed in 2003 that required persons opening a health savings account to enroll in a high-deductible plan. They gained prominence recently as employers watched their own healthcare spending skyrocket.
And in 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that healthcare spending had grown at a record low pace from 2009 to 2011.
However, in this new HSA environment, practices need to think more like a business.
July 22, 2013
Drs. Josh and Doug huddled up for a second taping of the Atlas MD podcast. You can stream it on iTunes. The duo took a moment to discuss HIPAA compliance, HSA spending and Meaningful Use in context with direct care, as well as our new EMR that’s launching next month. And the team announced phenomenal news: Michael Palomino has reached 150 patients in only a couple months, vastly exceeding the predicted 10 patients per month increase.
June 25, 2013
“A new Republican Senate bill seeks to facilitate the use of tax-advantaged health savings accounts (HSA) and flexible spending arrangements by loosening the rules that govern them,” says a recent post from The Hill. On Thursday, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced legislation to get rid of what they have labeled, “onerous” restrictions on HSAs. This would include the current ban that disallows the spending of HSA dollars on over-the-counter drugs tax-free.
This looks like great news for us as we’re trying to help people out of the insurance trap. As the host of Night Talker Radio Network said during a podcast with Dr. Doug, he doesn’t want to be 50 years old, paying $1,200 a month in case he gets a sore throat. A bill like this is one less shackle tying us to an entrenched, greedy system. It’s sure to cause a stir with opponents. We’re curious to see how they attack it, and are keeping an eye out for what other legislation is proposed within the bill. Obviously, based on the issues presented, we’re entirely on board.
June 12, 2013