Updated - August 2007
As healthcare costs continue to rise, Public sector
employers are searching for new and creative ways
to control health care spending. Budgetary constraints
are also weighing heavily on public sector groups
like never before. Its important to know the potential
savings and benefits a HSA plan could provide your
city or country. Great Lakes HSA will continue to
update this page throughout the year to help all
agencies understand the value of HSAs.
HSAs for State and Municipal
Employees
State and local governments are
adopting HSA style health plans as a state-employee
option throughout the country. Sadly, because Unions
don't understand the economics and details of the
plans, they have delayed and fought any legislation
that would add a HSA plan option to state and union
workers. As Great Lakes HSA was involved with Ohio
House Bill 46, we have experienced first hand, the
lies and misinformation that are used to block HSAs
from the state workers.
The most ironic aspect of the HSA
debate, it that the same organizations that were
paying lobbyist six figure amounts to stall the
HSA legislation are now the one's asking for a HSA
plan during contract negotiations. Regardless, Great
Lakes will continue to inform and update all public
sectors of who is adopting HSAs and documenting
their results. HSAs are not for everyone, but ignoring
a option that could benefit workers while saving
taxpayer dollars is a decision
that i will never understand.
States that have adopted
HSAs for their employees:
* Arkansas
* Colorado
* Florida
* Indiana
* Kansas
* Kentucky (HB 401) - ( 2/21/2006).
* Ohio - HB 46 - (5/16/2006).
* Oklahoma
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Utah (HB 76 - adopted on 3/17/2006).
* Washington (HB 1383 - adopted on 3/29/2006).
States that have introduced
legislation that would allow HSAs for state employees
* Alaska (SB 94).
* California (HB 2411).
* Michigan (HB 4704, HB 4705, HB 5016, and SB 1205).
* Minnesota
* Ohio (HB 506).
* New Hampshire (HB 290).
* Rhode Island (HB 6095).
* Virginia (HB 1346).
* Wisconsin (SB 171 vetoed by governor).
