Some time ago we had a thread about the high cost of health insurance for the self-employed. It occurs to me that a lot of you might not know about HSAs, which are fairly new, and how they work in conjunction with high-deductible health insurance. Here's a page that explains a lot:
http://www.opm.gov/hsa/
I've discovered that I can get a plan through my current insurer- a major Michigan hospital HMO- that pays for all hospitalization, and 80% of all outpatient services after a $2,500 deductible, for $235/month. Also, all my medical expenses- including dental and vision- will be paid for out of pre-tax dollars.
