After a long Thanksgiving break, Congress, and specifically the Senate is back to work on Health Care Legislation which is wrapped in a visage of “health care reform.”  The trillion dollar question at hand is whether their actions represent a positive direction for America.  If their actions create an environment of reduced costs, innovative solutions, and greater overall coverage, then they may be on to something.  I have very low expectations.

In 2006, after nearly 20 years in corporate America, I left my middle management job for more entrepreneurial pastures.  In late 2006 I reconnected with an old friend and colleague who had this notion of helping individuals pay for their health care.  It sounded like a solid idea.  So beginning with a blank sheet of paper, we crafted a business plan to create a company that would help ease the burden Americans pay for their medical expenses.

The business we concepted and have ultimately built, supports saving through Health Savings Accounts,  special tax advantaged accounts that requires (mandates?) coupling with a certain type of high deductible health insurance (HDHP).  This type of insurance and savings account is interesting because it requires the individual to take a more active role in their own health care to in order to maximize the benefits of both the insurance policy and the HSA.

To build an educational foundation for our business, to provide insurance coverage for my family and to become more familiar with HDHPs and HSAs, I purchased a plan through a broker and then opened an account with a bank offering HSAs.  The plan has a very high deductible at a very reasonable premium.  It provides well care for my family up to a certain point.  In order to fully leverage the HSA, I have fully funded it to the government maximum for the past two years.  My family has been healthy and we have not had to tap the HSA, and it is funded to the point where it could fully cover our large deductible in the case of a medical emergency.  We demonstrated a willingness and desire to take responsibility for our health care decisions using tools, the Government has created to encourage just that. 

In the past couple of years, Corporate America has embraced HDHPs and HSAs as a means to lower or at least keep in check, their health insurance premiums and help engage their employees in their own health.  According to Americas Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), there are something like 8 million Americans covered by HSA eligible insurance plans and the number is growing (something like 31% in 2008).

The problem with these plans, however, is that they fly in the face of more governmental control of health care which is the current direction of the “debate.”  It is as though the Government questions our ability to take care of ourselves.

The U.S. Government, by over inserting itself into the health care market, in my eyes and other entrepreneurs, is smothering innovation, creating uncertainty amongst doctors, patients, senior citizens, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and corporate America.

With regard to our own little start-up company designed to help American’s pay for their health care, the capital markets that might have been open to us a couple of years ago, are frozen solid and will not begin to thaw until whatever debate Congress is engaged in, is sorted out. 

Despite our Government’s actions (and in some cases lack thereof), we have, through sheer determination managed to build our product, launch it and are serving our customers.  But whether we survive, thrive or take a dive will, to a significant degree, depend on Congress’ and the Obama administration’s direction of either seizing control of health care or ceding control of health care to America and Americans.   

In the meantime, companies like ours and so many others trying to help Americans help themselves, will continue to fly along on a wing, a prayer, and change from under the sofa cushions.