Replace ACA with Health Care Savings accounts?

A recent article reported that Paul Ryan has proposed Health Care Savings accounts as an option to the Affordable Care Act. We would all simply put money in the HCS and self pay for medical care. Absent a detailed explanation for how this would work, I can only draw from my own experience and analysis.
At work, we had an option for using an HCS. We could allocate an amount to put in the account each month and it was a yearly commitment. That seemed like a good idea. It could be used for out of pocket medical expenses, such as co-pays, over the counter medicines, prescriptions and such. The benefits were 1) it was deducted before taxes 2) Once I set the amount to be collected for the year, that amount of money was available right away. So, if I needed $300 in January but had only put in $100 so far, it wasn't a problem. I had a special debit card to use so if it was a qualifying expense, I could just use that card.
But then it became very complicated to use. Even if I obviously used the card at a doctor's office or pharmacy where they could see exactly what the card paid for, I had to submit paperwork within 30 days.  If they questioned the paperwork, they froze the card. But, of course, they still kept collecting the money from my paycheck each month. Then, at the end of the year, if I didn't use all the money collected, it wasn't returned to me nor was it rolled over into the next year. Some mysterious entity kept the money.
The first year it worked pretty well and I used every bit that I had put in the account. The second year, things got weird and it didn't work the same as the first year. I lost about $500. I never used the Health Savings Account again.
I cannot imagine putting enough money in a Health Savings Account to be able pay for any major health issue. My experience leaves me with a boat load of questions about how this could possibly work. Those of us who are older with higher risk of catastrophic illness would need to put a LOT of money in an HCS account each month. Those of us who are younger feel indestructible and cannot imagine even needing a Health Care Account. And what about people who already have a serious medical condition that would require much more savings than could possibly be put into an account each year? If, as I experienced, somehow the money wasn't used (perhaps due to odd restrictions) who gets the money?
If anyone has a link to a detailed explanation of this proposal, I'd be very interested in reading it. It sounds like a great plan for wealthy people and for those believing they are indestructible. It could be a GREAT plan for those administering the funds. It makes no sense at all to me in terms of a health care solution. It makes a lot of sense to me as a money making plan for someone.

We need to talk....

We need to talk to each other. We need to talk about things with people we may not agree. It can be very positive. Take a deep breath and listen.
Three times this week I felt very encouraged in talking with people who don't share my perspective on some issues. The three issues were hot topics - Islam and Christianity, Healthcare, and Global Warming. Each conversation began with a statement of conclusion that I don't share. I followed with "Well..." and my perception of a baseline of fact. What was wonderful is that each then offered another statement of fact that persuaded them. We didn't dismiss each other. We listened. On both sides we acknowledged, at least, an understanding of the others point of view. As we talked we found common ground.
It was civil and respectful conversation. We didn't come to total agreement. But I walked away feeling good and feeling like I learned something. I won't be afraid to talk with any of them again about any topic we may not agree about. After the one conversation I actually felt we had come up with the most logical solution and our national leaders should be doing just what we talked about.
I really like talking with people with differing perspectives when discussions are mindful and meaningful. It's impossible to get that level of discussion on line. We need to hear the tone of voice. We need the fluidity of real time conversation. We need to be able to look into the other person's eyes.
It has me thinking that I need to be cautious in my reaction to on line comments. I'm often tempted to jump on a facebook post that is a statement of conclusion that I don't share. Perhaps I need to ask that person to lunch and try to understand how they came to that conclusion. I might be pleased to discover the quality of character and thought I encountered this week. We might not agree at the end of the conversation but I might learn something.
I write a lot of things and make a lot of statements that may cause a person to want to react to me in the way I have felt like reacting at times or have reacted at times. If you read this and say "Yes, you have done that, " invite me to lunch. You might not change my opinion but I'm open to learning something.

Obamacare!!!!

  In a Democracy we often believe the most important thing is to vote.  That is important.  But even more important is to be informed - to vote according to the best information we can gain.  It is even more important in this day and age to research and be informed than ever before.  We have grown accustomed to 90 second snippets and slick ads driving many of our daily decisions.  Even though we know better, we oddly accept that most of what we see and hear is true.  Most of these 90 second snippets and slick ads are designed to appeal to our emotions because we more quickly act on impulse and emotion.  Once we have an emotional reaction to something, we rarely dig deeper.

DIG DEEPER folks!  Our Democracy - our society depends on it.  If you find yourself repeating emotion filled one liners, they have you where they want you.  You won't research and decide based on reality, you are hooked on the one liners.

"Obamacare"!  Do you repeat that term?  They gottcha.  Have you read the Affordable Care Act?  Can you tell me what part you don't like?

Are you against your children being allowed to stay on your health care plan until age 26?
Do you believe insurers should be able to deny coverage to anyone with a pre-existing condition?
Do you believe it is wise for insurers to provide preventative health care screenings free of charge?
Do you believe insurers should be able to have a cap on the amount of health care benefits they provide over your lifetime?
Do you believe health care insurers should be able to spend as much money as they like on things other than providing health care to those they ensure?
Are you against tax incentives for small businesses to provide health insurance?

Have you read the Affordable Care Act?

Maybe you are against the mandate to get healthcare insurance.  Healthcare Insurers demanded that.  Why?  Because if our goal is to provide more affordable health care, we cannot just insure the sick and vurnerable.  We need a broader pool.  The cost has to be spread out or those insured will pay more and more.

Do you know what the punishment is if you don't get insured next year?  A whopping $95 in 2013.
If you don't think you will need any medical care in 2013, opt out - pay the $95.  The rest of us will hope you are right, that you don't need medical care.  Someone will have to pay for it if you cannot.

Read the Affordable Care Act!  http://www.healthcare.gov  It was modeled after the plan Mitt Romney enacted in Massachusetts.  See what that state has to say about how it has worked. 

If you can make an educated argument against any part of it, please share that.  More importantly, please share what you would do - specifically to solve our health care problems.  And if you aren't aware that we have any - get your head out of the sand.