Donald Trump came out with a healthcare plank tonight. There are three tax areas within it worth exploring.
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
Allow individuals to use Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Contributions into HSAs should be tax-free and should be allowed to accumulate. These accounts would become part of the estate of the individual and could be passed on to heirs without fear of any death penalty. These plans should be particularly attractive to young people who are healthy and can afford high-deductible insurance plans. These funds can be used by any member of a family without penalty. The flexibility and security provided by HSAs will be of great benefit to all who participate.
This part is odd, to say the least.
A plain reading of this is that Trump wants to create HSAs. That’s great, except for one detail–HSAs have been around since 2003 (Congress created them at the same time as the Medicare prescription drug benefit). Contributions into HSAs are tax-free and are allowed to accumulate. They become part of the estate of the individual and can be passed onto heirs. Funds can be used by any member of a family without penalty. And yes, the flexibility and security of HSAs are of great benefit to all who participate.
According to the latest data from the industry, there are now 20 million Americans covered by an HSA. Put another way, about 15 percent of people with private sector health insurance have an HSA. Premiums in HSA qualified health insurance plans average about $14,000 per year for families and about $6000 per year for individuals–a lot cheaper than first dollar plans.
Read the full article at Forbes.com: Donald Trump's Healthcare Plan and Taxes