HSA Focalpoint

Your Opinion Counts!
We want to know what you think. Click here to complete a short survey about HSAs.

Direct Deposit for your Quarterly Referral Fees.

You can now have your First Horizon Msaver quarterly referral fees directly deposited into your bank account. Simply fill out the Electronic Funds Transfer Form and send it to our office along with a voided check.

First Horizon Msaver, Inc

7400 W 110 St, Ste 520

Overland Park, KS 66210

Please note that if you choose to have your referral fee direct deposited, you will continue to receive the account breakdowns each quarter for your records.

Push on to Change Health Savings Accounts.

dallas.bizjournals.com,  August 1, 2008
“The motivation is the same - to give the consumer more control and replace all such consumer driven health plans with just a single account: the Universal Health Savings Account,” said Goodman, who is president and CEO of the National Center for Policy Analysis. (Read More)

HSA Enrollments Continue To Rise, New Trends.

hsafinder.com,  July , 2008
One interesting new statistic that is encouraging for insurance providers is the fact that that the number of respondents who said HSAs were their first choice rose above 50%. This is the first time this preference has been reported by a majority of respondents.
(Read More)

Health Care Cost Trends Leveling: Report.

www.businessinsurance.com,  July 25, 2008
The growth in health care costs paid by employers is expected to level off in 2009 following five years of deceleration, a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute predicts. (Read More)

Your Opinion Counts!
We want to know what you think. Click here to complete a short survey about HSAs.

Direct Deposit for your Quarterly Referral Fees.

You can now have your First Horizon Msaver quarterly referral fees directly deposited into your bank account. Simply fill out the Electronic Funds Transfer Form and send it to our office along with a voided check.

First Horizon Msaver, Inc

7400 W 110 St, Ste 520

Overland Park, KS 66210

Please note that if you choose to have your referral fee direct deposited, you will continue to receive the account breakdowns each quarter for your records.

IRS Issues Proposed Rules on HSA Comparable Contributions.

hr.cch.com, July 22, 2008
The Treasury and the IRS have issued proposed pension tax regulations that provide guidance on employer comparable contributions to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) under Code Sec. 4980G. The proposed regulations allow an employer to contribute to the HSAs of non-highly compensated employees in an amount that is larger than the employer’s contribution to the HSAs of the highly compensated employees with comparable coverage during a period. (Read More)

New HSA “Grab Bag” Guidance Helps Employers.

cobracs.com, July 15, 2008
In late June, Notice 2008-59 provided employers with needed clarification on many issues relating to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The IRS Notice takes immediate effect and could spark an increase in HSA-related activity as benefit planning begins in earnest for 2009.
The IRS organized the 42 questions into seven topic areas:

* Eligibility
* High-Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs)
* Contributions
* Distributions
* Prohibited Transactions
* Establishing an HSA
* Administration

Notice 2008-59 is available at: www.treas.gov/press/releases/reports/notice200859.pdf.
(Read More)

It’s a Good Time to Take a Close Look Health Savings Accounts.

www.ledgerdelaware.com, July 11, 2008
Employers face a dual problem: they must keep their costs under control, because that’s essential to operating profitably, and they must provide plans that meet their employees’ needs, because that’s essential to keeping a capable and satisfied staff.

Fortunately, there is an option that small to mid-sized employers should consider: the combination of a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) and a Health Savings Account (HSA). (Read More)

This is not a Fad -

The Rise of the Consumer-Directed Market.

www.benefitsellingmag.com, July 1, 2008
Regardless of the outcome of this year’s presidential election, the U.S. health care system is already undergoing a paradigm shift unlike any we have seen in a generation. Whether we know it or not, the way we pay for health care in this country is already changing rapidly.
(Read More)

Your Opinion Counts!
We want to know what you think. Click here to complete a short survey about HSAs.

CVS Adds New Health Savings, Flexible Spending Account Tracking Tools.

progressivegrocer.com, June 19, 2008
CVS/pharmacy is aiming to make it easier for shoppers enrolled in health savings account (HSA)-eligible insurance plans and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) to save money and track eligible health purchases as part of its ExtraCare rewards program. (Read More)

Celent: HSA Balances Are Growing.

lifeandhealthinsurancenews.com, June 18, 2008
Average health savings account balances climbed to $1,400 in January, from $1,028 in December 2006. (Read More)

Health Care Debate Alive and Well at Institute 2008.

ahiphiwire.org, June 23, 2008
Election years bring out the best in everybody. This year’s AHIP Institute 2008 is no exception-at least among the three speakers at last Thursday morning’s keynote address, “Health, Humanity and Politics: Prospects for Reform.” (Read More)

HSA Contribution Caps, Deductibles to Rise in 2009.

businessinsurance.com, May 14, 2008
In 2009, the maximum contribution that can be made to an HSA for employees with single coverage will be $3,000-up from $2,900 in 2008-while the maximum contribution for those with family coverage will rise to $5,950 from $5,800. (Read More)

Winn-Dixie Makes It Easier for Customers to Use Their HSA and FSA Cards.

businesswire.com, May 14, 2008
Upgraded software will allow the checkout system to identify qualifying products, charge them to the HSA or FSA account, and then automatically subtract that amount from the total owed for all other purchases. Formerly, customers using HSA/FSA cards to purchase these items had to pay for them at the pharmacy and then go to the regular checkout lanes to pay for the remainder of their items. (Read More)

Use of Health Savings Accounts is Stirring Political Debate.

mlive.com, May 19, 2008
As the number of HSA-eligible enrollees has increased in the Lone Star State and elsewhere across the U.S., so, too, has the political divide between the proponents and critics of HSAs. (Read More)

Health Savings Accounts may be a Good Option for Producers.

tristateneighbor.com, April 14, 2008
Ellen Laden, director of public relations for Golden Rule Insurance Co., says HSAs make good options a lot of the time for farmers, ranchers and small businesspeople who have to buy their own insurance. (Read More)

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Now That Your Taxes Are Done, Figure Out What You Could Save in 2008 by Using a Health Savings Account (HSA).

yahoo.com, April 28, 2008
Although the dreaded April 15 tax filing deadline has passed, you still have time to put your W2s and 1040s to good use. Information from these and other tax forms can help you take advantage of a new calculator on HSAInsights.com, which shows you what you could save by switching from a traditional health plan to a high deductible plan with a health savings account (HSA). (Read More)

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Controlling Health Insurance Premiums with FSA, HRA, HSA Plans.

industryweek.com, March 24, 2008

Health insurance costs are rising much faster than inflation. But what can manufacturers do about it? One idea that seems to be working is giving employees “ownership” in their health plans. (Read More)

Healthcare Without Medicare
Special Report: Healthcare & Retirement.

financial-planning.com, April 1 2008

In addition to clean living and good health, Embrey’s client kept costs down by choosing a high-deductible plan. Better yet, clients can pair a high-deductible plan with a health savings account (HSA), as long as their health insurance policy meets certain requirements, such as a minimum deductible of $1,100 for an individual. (Read More)

If you are in a high-deductible health plan linked to a health savings account, you’ll have to start thinking about your insurance in a whole new way. Not only must you get your head around network rules, but you have to plan for surprises, manage your cash flow and even make investing decisions. (Read More)

Legislation Pushes Incentives for High-Deductible Plans and HSAs.

ahiphiwire.org.com - March 28, 2008

The bill would exempt insurers from paying taxes on premiums in the sale of the high-deductible savings account plans. Georgia health insurers typically pay a tax of at least 2.5 percent on premiums.
(Read More)

When Consumers are Driving Health Care

newsobserver.com, March 6, 2008
The next time you hear someone say the market is failing health care, ask him how much his last blood test cost. His failure to tell you won’t be a memory lapse, but a symptom of our system. (Read More)

First of its Kind HSA-FSA Superstore

prweb.com, March 5, 2008

Through this online store, which is exclusively HSA and FSA eligible items, shoppers can purchase whatever they want without the worry of whether or not their purchases are covered. (Read More)

TSYS Launches the Industry’s Most Advanced Healthcare Benefits Payments System

businesswire.com, March 3, 2008

TSYS Healthcare announced the successful market launch of the industry’s most advanced benefits payments system. Fringe Benefits Management Company (FBMC), the first third-party administrator to use this innovative solution, offers its subscribers the ability to pay from multiple healthcare tax-advantaged accounts, credit accounts and cash accounts through a single card. (Read More)

Consumer-Directed Health Plans Continue to Grow as Popular Vehicle to Bring Choice, Flexibility and Access to Consumers.

TheEarthTimes.org - March 4, 2008

Enrollment in Consumer-Directed Health Plans (CDHPs) continues to grow, spurring employers to offer more health care information tools to employees in order to leverage the true value of these products, according to a study commissioned by the American Association of Preferred Provider Organizations (AAPPO) from the consulting firm Mercer, Inc. (Read More)

First Horizon Msaver President E. Craig Keohan to Speak at the CDHC Expo to be held March 3-5.

Powering the movement toward consumer-driven health care, the 2008 CDHC Expo will bring together employers, banks, account custodians, and providers to help shape the future of the industry. Msaver is a sponsor of the conference to be held March 3-5 in Las Vegas, and E. Craig Keohan, president of Msaver, will be speaking twice during the conference. (Learn More)

President Bush is Proposing Six Changes to HSAs.

President Bush is proposing six changes to make Health Savings Accounts more flexible and give individuals and employers more options in structuring coverage:

* Health plans with 50% coinsurance would qualify as a high-deductible health plan and would be HSA-eligible.

* People would have more time to set up their HSAs since funds could be used to pay for medical expenses incurred on or after the first day of HSA eligibility in a year, even if the account hasn’t actually been set up yet.

* Employers would be able to make larger HSA contributions for employees with chronic illnesses.

* Deductibles would be adjusted to make them more family-friendly.

* If both spouses are eligible as individuals for HSAs, they both could make catch-up contributions to one of their HSAs.

* Employees would be able to contribute to an HSA, even if they are covered by a Health Reimbursement Arrangement and Flexible Spending Account.

All of these proposals are responding to requests to make HSAs more attractive to employers and individuals. The administration’s Fiscal 2009 Budget outlines these proposals and rationale on pages 19-26. (Read More)

Switching Jobs? Play It Smart With Health Benefits.

TheStreet.com - Feb 2, 2008

If you have a health spending account — a flexible spending account, a health-savings account or a health-reimbursement account — with your current employer, it’s important to pay attention to the details of the plan before you change jobs. (Read More)

Website May Spark Change in Medical Economics.

StarTribune.com - Jan 27, 2008

Carol.com and the copycats it inspires could profoundly affect how Americans buy health care. (Read More)

First Horizon Msaver Named Winner of Best Consumer-Directed Health Care Card Program

First Horizon Msaver has been named by Paybefore Awards 2008 Winner of Best CDHC Card Program for its Health Savings Account (HSA) program. The Best of Category winner will be announced during the Annual Industry Awards Dinner at the Prepaid Card expo on March 4, 2008.

Last year, Msaver picked up two awards at the industry awards dinner. One was for Most Innovative CDCH Bank and a second award went to Msaver President, E. Craig Keohan, recognizing his industry leadership.

Health Plans Want you to Take Control

Miamiherald.com - Jan 27, 2008
Many businesses have determined that to compete in a global economy, they must keep a lid on healthcare costs — currently rising at twice the rate of inflation. Hoping to reduce their benefit costs, businesses are offering plans that give employees more control over prevention, treatment — and costs. (Read More)

Health Groups Weigh In On Reform Efforts

National Underwriter - Jan 30, 2008
Agent associations are welcoming the attention President Bush gave to health insurance Monday during his State of the Union address.

Bush called during the speech for expanding the health savings account program, giving individuals who buy their own health insurance the same tax breaks that employers get, giving the information they need to make better health care purchasing decisions, setting up an association health plan program, and curbing medical malpractice suits. (Read More)

NBGH Supports Individual Health Insurance Mandate

Business Insurance - Jan 30, 2008
The National Business Group on Health, a consortium of around 300 of the nation’s largest employers, has come out in support of legislation that would require individuals to buy health insurance coverage for themselves and their dependent children. (Read More)