Whatever the public explanation, HSA's were proposed as part of an unstated effort to move healthy individuals out of group plans. Healthy people, in theory, would be enticed to do so by virtue of the fact that they were not likely to require medical services and thus could save the money that they would otherwise expend on high-cost health insurance coverage, while remaining covered for a major medical crisis or emergency. The goals of the proponents aren't served if the accounts become a broadly available way to save money on medical care.

