Hoosiers and Health Savings Accounts (My Man Mitch Alert)

Wall Street Journal ^ | March 1, 2010 | Gov. Mitch Daniels

[yongin]

As Washington prepares to revisit the subject of health-care reform, perhaps some fresh experience from Middle America would be of value.

When I was elected governor of Indiana five years ago, I asked that a consumer-directed health insurance option, or Health Savings Account (HSA), be added to the conventional plans then available to state employees. I thought this additional choice might work well for at least a few of my co-workers, and in the first year some 4% of us signed up for it.

In Indiana's HSA, the state deposits $2,750 per year into an account controlled by the employee, out of which he pays all his health bills. Indiana covers the premium for the plan. The intent is that participants will become more cost-conscious and careful about overpayment or overutilization.

Unused funds in the account—to date some $30 million or about $2,000 per employee and growing fast—are the worker's permanent property. For the very small number of employees (about 6% last year) who use their entire account balance, the state shares further health costs up to an out-of-pocket maximum of $8,000, after which the employee is completely protected.

The HSA option has proven highly popular. This year, over 70% of our 30,000 Indiana state workers chose it, by far the highest in public-sector America. Due to the rejection of these plans by government unions, the average use of HSAs in the public sector across the country is just 2%.

[Bahbah]

I like Mitch Daniels. A lot.

[yongin]

Dissatisfied with the 2008 retreads, some conservatives are giving Mitch Daniels a serious look. The bloggers at Redstate are pushing My Man Mitch for 2012. I like what I see in the Hoosier. I'll give him consideration.

[C19fan]

Romney = Socialized Health Care
Daniels = Consumer Drive Health Care

Pretty easy pick for 2012.

[C19fan]

I like Daniels but unfortunately his 5’7” height is going to be a major problem; for the record I am only 5’5”.

[yongin]

GOP operatives grumble about My Man Mitch being bald and boring. After going thru Obama, people may not care about charisma and want someone with a proven track record of competence.

BTW, Romney operatives are criticizing My Man Mitch for being a big spender (he was Bush's budget director) and being deaf to the concerns of conservatives (he implemented day light savings time over the protests of rural Hoosier conservatives). Lame Mitten excuses. LOL!

[C19fan]

Hope you are right. So Romney is already sending out his thugs to do his dirty work he is too much a coward to do himself? Daniels was just following W’s orders.

[yongin]

Slick Willard is in no position to criticize. A lot of the people running Romney’s PAC are Bush/Cheney operatives!

[publius321]

I still have about $1,000 in mine that has been sitting around for 2 years. HSA’s are great, especially for younger people. I use that in conjunction with a low deductable “catostrophic” policy. Nice. I got tired of paying thousands in premiums every year (and not even going to the Doctor with exception for an inexpensive physical.)

Read: “Introducing a BETTER US Currency”
at http://www.TableOfWisdom.com

[truthguy]

I changed over to Medical Savings Account during the last enrollment period. If this type of plan had been available when I first started working, there would be 100K in my Medical Savings Account. If I had this, I would have some real health care choices but this is what the government doesn't like. Choice.

[technically right]

Yeah, Mitch took a load of crap from the rustics here in Indiana about the DST thing but I’ll tell you this; Mitch Daniels was very specific about what he said he would do if he got elected the first time he ran. And you know what, the sumb*tch did nearly every last thing. When was the last time you actually saw a pol do what the promised they would do when they were on the stump. Yep. My Man Mitch!

[rob777]

"I like what I see in the Hoosier. I'll give him consideration."


So will I as soon as the 2010 elections are finished.

[campaignPete R-CT]

yep. anyone interested in ‘12 has to keep an eye on Mitch. Would it faily unanimous here that he is preferred over Pawlenty?

I’ve posted a lot of concerns about Mitch. But somebody has to go into New Hampshire and defeat SlikWillard. I think he’d do well there. I get the impression he is better on the stump than Pawlenty.

[what's up]

***

[cherry]

whats the down side?....state workers get more money and more benefits....nothing to see here....move along...

my God though would we hear the complaints if all employers were required to pay into HSA like the Indiana state govt.

[what's up]

Sounds to me like the money given out to state workers is decreased under this plan.

They end up getting LESS health care than before because they find out they don't need as much of it when it accrues to their account.

[yongin]

My Man Mitch would carry his own state in a Presidential year. It is unclear if T-Paw can carry MN in 2012. T-Paw won his Governor races with less than 47% of the vote. Slick Willard would not carry either CA or MA.

[crunk]

Gov. Daniels proposed a “temporary” tax hike of 1% on every household that had a combined income of $100,000 or over after swearing that a tax increase would be a “last resort” for Hoosiers already strapped with property taxes and falling incomes.

Daniels coupled that tax hike with over $1 billion in new spending – exactly the opposite of the “trimming down of government” that “My Man Mitch” promised on the campaign trail. Hmmm.

Additionally, Daniels supported John McCain for president in 2008, not Fred Thompson, Duncan Hunter, Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee --- John McCain.

[campaignPete R-CT]

well, Indiana is prob a complete lock in ‘12 for the GOP. I find that Freepers tend not to have much focus when discussing the presidential race ... so I doubt this place will be useful during the primaries. I was busy in ‘08 campaigning, so I wasn’t on here.

The opening round still is likely to be:
Iowa
NH
SC
FLA

with Mitt taking Mich, WY, NEV mixed in there. If somebody does not have a plan for the 4 states above, they don’t have a plan. I also think it is banal that people route for their candidate on here like 11 year-old kids cheering for their favorite baseball team.

I don’t think the Palin-ites have much valuable info or insights to pass along, just talking up Sarah. We’re all expect to say dittos to everything ....

Is there a name for them? the Palin loyalists who think every other potential candidate is part of the RINO RNC MSM conspiracy to stop her? what do we call them?

Again, the big issue in New England is that Palin may skip New Hampshire or make a poor showing. So I’ve gotta keep options open for other candidates to beat oil-Slik-Willard.

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

Me too.

Articles like this make me think he’s really considering a candidacy.