After learning more details about the plans proposed and enacted in California and Massachusetts, respectively, it is a relief to see the new health initiative proposed by President Bush in his State of the Union address this week. Unlike the aforementioned state plans, the President has proposed a bold step to correct the historical mistake made over 60 years ago that has forever linked employment and health insurance coverage and created a medical arms race that is consuming our economy. Hopefully, this announcement will change the course of the debate for the months ahead.

Roy Ramthun is currently the president of HSA Consulting Services, LLC. He was previously Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy at the White House where he served as the senior health policy advisor to President George W. Bush. Mr. Ramthun also served as the Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury for health initiatives and led Treasury's implementation of health savings accounts after they were enacted into law in December, 2003. Previously, he held a variety of positions at Humana Inc. and was a health care analyst with the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance.