Blog Entries tagged 'humor'

Is My La-Z-Boy an HSA Qualified Medical Expense?

shades — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:00:00 +0100

A few days ago I was fascinated by an article in the Wall Street Journal that talked about how working on laptops wreaks havoc on ones back shoulders and neck due to the horrible posture it promotes. As best I can tell, with a laptop, it is very difficult to get the keyboard and the monitor in the proper position to support proper posture and good back/neck/shoulder health. The result is back aches.

Until a few weeks ago, I suffered laptop back aches too.&n [...]

And The Best Medicine Is.......

shades — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:00:00 +0100

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sUL0KCIc48 425x355]

Happy and Blessed Holidays From the Folks at HSAeducator.com

....and don't forget to open your HSA before 12/31 and fund it before 4/15/09 to take be able to take the tax deduction.

Why is Healthcare So Friggin' Expensive? Reason # 11

shades — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:00:00 +0100

Last month we posted an article that hit on the "Unscientific Top Ten Reasons Why Healthcare is So Expensive." Today we are here to offer you unscientific reason #11.

The U.S. Government doesn't trust you any further than they can throw you.

HDHPs and HSAs, by nature should save you money over traditional health insurance. BUT, the Government in all its wisdom/paranoia does what they can to undermine their efficiencies.

In this case, they passed some leg [...]

Which Bank Should I Select For My HSA Deposits?

shades — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:00:00 +0100

This is a good question and varies based on your specific needs, which, by the way will change as you accumulate money into your HSA account.

If you would like to start a discussion on this topic, we invite you to start a thread on the HSAeducator Forum, you can click here to get there and start a conversation based on your own needs. You will need to register on this site to participate, but it only takes a few seconds, and you are already here.

As an alternative, if [...]

What The Heck Is E-Health?

shades — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:00:00 +0100

So if I lay down on top of my computer, is it somehow going to make me healthy? Or maybe if I spend 8 hours a day doing health related Google, Yahooo, MSN or some other search engine searches, will that make me more e-healthy? Perhaps if I stick my hand in the VCR and push play, that will give me a nice jolt of Electronic Health?

The answer is "D." None of the above.

E-health is one of those terms we hear all the time, but maybe aren't quite sure what it [...]

How The Pinch Stole Healthcare.

shades — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:00:00 +0100

Every Blue down in Blueville liked Healthcare a lot...

But the Pinch, who lived to the left of Healthcare did NOT!

The Pinch hated Healthcare, the whole Healthcare system!

Just don't ask why, only he had the wisdom.

It could be his head was screwed on to the left,

It could be his ears were plugged up and deaf.

But I think the most likely reason of all,

Was that he thought the Blues brains were much much too small.

But whatever t [...]

Spare A Square? American Media In The Stall.

shades — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:00:00 +0100

The American media community recently alighted on "Joe the Plumber" like a fly on poop and I couldn't help but wonder if he was truly represented the face of the America or if, perhaps there was something else going on there. This has been nagging at me for weeks until today, when I was bobbing up and down on the basement treadmill, trying to read an article in this week's edition of Business Week.

It suddenly hit me, with the force of a diarrhea bomb the morning after [...]

Beans, Tea Parties, Witch Trials - Massachusetts Healthcare Reform 2009

shades — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:00:00 +0100

About the only things I know about Massachusetts have to do with beans (Blazing Saddles), a bunch of whiteys dressed up as Indians (wonder if they were wearing wigs?), and burning witches at the stake (now that's hot).

Being from the Deep South, my purview of the rest of the country is somewhat narrow, and I suppose for every one of us, there is enough history, news, and politics in our own states to keep up narrowly focused and narrowly minded for a lifetime. Thank God, [...]

I Heart Health Care For America Now...

shades — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:00:00 +0100

....NOT!

I saw a humorous YouTube video which led me down an interesting path of reflection and reinforced the extremes in thinking some people have on healthcare in America. Healthcare is a complicated social issue, and to the best of my knowledge there is only one only perfect solution. And that's perfect health.

I've included the video here as it is humorous, but I present it with a large caveat. Health insurance in America is in [...]

Another $17 in My Health Savings Account (HSA) or is that My Hair Savings Account?

shades — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:00:00 +0100

When I was a kid, up until the age of about eleven, my Grandmother used to conduct Doctor Jekyl-like experiments on my hair with her handy scissors. I was a total toe head and when she was done they could have slapped me on the side of a paint can and called me the Little Dutch Boy.

I revolted at eleven and began a 30 plus year quest to find the perfect barber. Recently though, in my quest to save more money into my health savings account I decided to give Betty, my barber, [...]

Why Is Healthcare So Expensive? The Unscientific Top Ten Reasons Why.

shades — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:00:00 +0100

I have an HDHP. When I go to the Doctor to have them look at the creatures crawling around in my throat, causing me to itch all over, or making my hair fall out in clumps, I am expected to pick up the full tab until I hit my deductible. I even have a little stash of money, called an HSA to pay for it. BUT, I don't pay a nickel when the Doctor is done with me. Not immediately.

The Doctor has to put in a claim to my insurance company, the insurance company tell [...]

Poo On Your Shoe? No Health Savings Account For You!

shades — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:00:00 +0100

Last Christmas, my kids gave me this little sign to post in my yard. The little sign came with no post so I got a piece of scrap re-bar, about 2 feet long, stoked up a good fire in the fireplace and heated that sucker until it was white hot. I then carried that glowing steel torch down to the basement where, having managed not to burn down my house whilst hauling it through the den, down the stairs and into my workroom, I managed to bend and hammer a nice "S" curv [...]

"Hows Yo Mamma?" Annual HDHP Enrollment & What is an HSA?

shades — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:00:00 +0100

About this time every year employers all over the nation unveil their latest, greatest insurance offerings for the coming year. They've worked over their brokers, agents, and consultants, dusted off a few old tricks and brought a couple new ones to the game. They've frosted up this package with Betty Crocker's finest, served it up on their finest china, put it on a fork and are now playing the "airplane" game with you.

Now you're probably thinking, " [...]

Individual vs. Family Deductibles and your HSA

shades — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:00:00 +0100

My family has had our High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) for just under one year, and last month we discovered that what we believed to be an embedded deductible was nothing of the sort. Huh? What's an embedded deductible you say?

When shopping for health insurance you'll often see an individual deductible and a family deductible quoted side by side. In our case the individual deductible was $5,200 and the family deductible was $10,400. From our reading o [...]

How To Avoid Being An HSA LOSER!

shades — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:00:00 +0100

It's really quite easy actually...

United Healthcare recently released the results of a survey they did on their HDHP policyholders. They took a look at the demographics and behavior of depositors and found that 86% of those surveyed opened health savings accounts when their employer contributes on their behalf. However, only 27% of consumers opened HSAs when their employer did not contribute.

Ok, so if you are new to health savings accounts (HSAs) and your employe [...]

High Deductible Health Plan - REJECTED!

shades — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:00:00 +0100

I received a letter last night from the insurance that had the cooling effect of a walk-in refrigerator. I got a "Dear John" letter from the company I thought was going to underwrite my new HDHP.

My family with what I thought was not a major exception, is in terrific health. My wife suffers from migraines which did not disqualify us from being covered last year with our current insurance company.

I know I can re-up with my current company, bu [...]

Consumer Directed Health & The Healthiest Nation Alliance

shades — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:00:00 +0100

Generally speaking I don't care for films that have subtitles. First of all, reading in the dark goes against, well,....... all the rules of reading. I mean, when you were a kid your mom or dad didn't come into the room when you were knee deep in a good book and say "hey, it's too bright in here, you need to turn out the light." Quite the contrary of course. Secondly, those films are generally distracting because in addition to having to read you [...]

A Little Detour From The HSA �Grab Bag� 101�Halleluiah�s All Around

shades — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:00:00 +0100

For those folks glued to this blog to learn about the whole ‘Grab Bag' thing, fear not. For as best we can tell it pretty much goes into perpetuity. However, it is definitely time for the staff at Gradock to take a break and cover some other ground.

It is hard to believe it's been almost a year since we plunged into the world of high deductible health plans (HDHPs) and health savings accounts (HSAs). And brothers and sisters have we learned a lot. I [...]

Health Savings Account 'Grab Bag' 101 - Things Are Strange

shades — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:00:00 +0100

Some of these questions that are addressed in the Grab Bag seem so unlikely, one just has to wonder how many times the question has been asked. That said, apparently they have been asked and so we'll share the answers. They just seem very strange as it were.

But first, in the hair department, if you thought previous editions of The Gradock Bulletin focusing on haircuts were strange, check out this video. Now that is strange!

[video:http://www.youtube. [...]

HSA 'Grab Bag' 101 - If It's Free, Is An HSA for Me?

shades — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:00:00 +0100

And the answer is......maybe. Sorry, black and whiters, that's just the way it is.

It depends on the type of free or in this case, discounted care you receive. So as an example if your employer has a clinic where you can go for a flu shot, or say get your allergy shots, or maybe to get an aspirin when you have a headache, or maybe to have a wart looked at or maybe get some antiseptic and a bandaid if you cut yourself opening a box or something you would still be eligible for an HSA.