My advanced education in chemistry never prepared me to make wise decisions relative to small business healthcare decisions. After working on health insurance for our team for seven years in a row, it seems this is the way the world is going – until the Supreme Court decides otherwise. I can only pray that divine intervention will bring some wisdom into our executive, legislative and judicial branches in regard to healthcare. Though, I’m not holding my breath. Where politics leads, stupidity will follow. We are the ones to suffer.
Here’s a headline you don’t see every day. Your health is your responsibility. Uh oh, there goes my shot at ever being an elected official. It may sound blunt, but it is reality. Should there be help to prevent catastrophic health care costs? Absolutely! Yet, let’s face reality. The best health insurance is the one you never need to use (except for prevention) because we exercise, eat right, relax in a pool or spa regularly (nice how I worked the “pool and spa” thing in, eh?).
Take a serious look at High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) and elect and contribute to Health Savings Accounts (HSA). These high deductible plans can make a person gasp at first. Yet, if you can contribute to the HSA, focus on preventative care, you can reduce your taxable income and build a financial buffer in the HSA that can cover deductibles for years to come. Take that tax savings, savings on your monthly premium, and use some of your pre-tax dollars to put in your HSA account. You own the HSA contributions. According to today’s rules, when you turn 65, you can use the HSA money for retirement. You have to consider how best to protect your family against catastrophic health care costs. Take a serious look at HDHPs.
Oh yeah, make a $10.00 tax deductible donation to the Step Into Swim™ campaign to help fund programs that are creating swimmers. Making a $10 donation helps reduce healthcare inflation, drowning, increases fun and creates growth in our field
Reprinted from NSPF Blog
