1) An HSA (Health Savings Account) plan allows tax-free savings and withdrawals for medical expenses, and allows deducting contributions even before expenses are incurred.
2) To be eligible for an HSA, one must have an HDHP (High Deductible Health Plan), but the savings account is separate from the insurance plan.
3) With an HSA, people can pay less in insurance premiums since deductibles are higher, and save the difference tax-free to cover medical costs, bypassing the usual 7.5% AGI limit on medical expense deductions.