Anthem offers HSAs in Colorado

Denver - DENVER - Consumers and employees in Colorado now have more options and flexibility to pay for health care expenses, gain more control over their health care dollars, reap tax benefits and plan for retirement as a result of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's (Anthem) introduction of its Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

Anthem's new HSAs are being offered now with an effective start date of October 1, 2004, to eligible individuals and employer groups in Colorado, and customers have already begun to enroll. The products consist of Anthem preferred-provider organization (PPO), HSA-qualified high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) coupled with an account that allows eligible consumers to use checks and debit cards to pay for qualified medical expenses out of their HSA. HSAs have recently become available to consumers as a result of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.