Health care costs have taken a bigger and bigger chunk out of our pockets in recent years, especially if you have employer-provided insurance. The most recent data shows that our individual health care costs are up 11 percent in a year. That’s the fourth year in a row of double digit increases. The average family now pays more than $10,000 per year in health care costs. So, things seem pretty hopeless. But there is an answer on the horizon. It’s called an HSA – or Health Savings Account. With an HSA, you have a deductible of $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for families. So because the first $1,000 is coming directly out of your pocket, you’re going to be more careful about what you spend. You may ask for cheaper or generic brands of prescriptions. And, doctors, if they are smart, will start holding peak and off-peak hours to accommodate money-conscious patients. Medicine is really a fake business right now because there is too much fuzziness about who pays for what. The new system may force medicine to adopt a price conscious approach because the patient is also making the decision. You basically have high deductible health insurance and the rest of the money goes into a tax free savings account. So how do you sign up for an HSA? This fall, you have a 50 percent shot that your employer will offer you an HSA. And in the next year or two, 80 to 90 percent will offer these plans. As for the savings plans, ehealthinsurance.com is offering free accounts. They will work just like regular savings accounts. And, if you change employers, you take your stash of cash with you. Aetna and Signa are already on the HSA bandwagon, so it will soon be an option for you!