Rep 'brings it on home' for the president
Wimbush opens country's first Health Savings Account
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, March 28, 2004
AURORA, Ill. — AURORA, Ill. — Pamela Wimbish is one in several million.
What singles out Wimbish, an independent furniture sales representative, is that she's the first person in the United States to open a Health Savings Account, part of the Medicare reform bill signed into law in December by President Bush.
Some 40 million Americans are expected to establish HSA accounts in the next 10 years, but Wimbish's insurance company made sure her account was the first to be registered. That earned her a meeting with the president.
Wimbish lost her company-sponsored heath plan when she switched lines last year and became an independent, repping for PeopLoungers, McKay Table Pads and Miracle Mattress. She switched to an interim policy while she researched her options, finally settling on three companies.
One was Fortis, the insurance carrier for the International Home Furnishings Representatives Assn., of which she's a member. Scott Leander, the association's insurance administrator, told Wimbish about a new program being considered by Congress. After the bill authorizing HSAs passed, Leander signed her on for the program, which went into effect on Jan. 1.
Wimbish is in Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert's congressional district, so the insurance company saw the chance to "parlay this into a little marketing thing," she said, and asked if Wimbish would be a spokesperson for HSAs.
"Fortis was ready to take advantage (of the opportunity)," she said. "As far as I understand, someone came in at midnight and processed the application so they could lay claim to having the first person qualified for it in '04."
Health Savings Accounts allow self-employed people or qualified employees with high deductibles to contribute pretax dollars up to $2,550 for individuals and $4,500 for a family per year. Money not used for health expenses — medical, dental, vision — remains in the account, building tax-free interest, and can be taken out at age 65 tax-free. Wimbish contributes her full deductible of $2,550, which she funds from the $250 monthly she saves in premiums from her old plan.
So far, Wimbish has been interviewed by Kiplinger's, Forbes, The Chicago Sun-Times and several other publications. But her longest interview — over four hours — came from the White House, which invited her to come to Washington.
Wimbish said her first invitation was to speak before a Senate subcommittee, but that was then changed to a meeting with the president's staff. Then, Wimbish was informed that "the president himself wants to facilitate the meeting and would you be available to meet with him? I said, 'sure'," she said, chuckling.
Wimbish joined a group of eight to discuss her involvement in the program. Seated to the president's immediate right, she was the last to speak. Wimbish said Bush looked at her and said, "Well, Pam, you're the last one, so bring it on home, girl."
"Well, all righty," she answered. Afterward, Wimbish walked with the president to a press conference on the subject, talking about golf as they walked.
"He is extremely personable," said Wimbish, noting the president has "piercing blue eyes that he locks onto your face. You could tell he was very passionate about health care costs and ways to get it back under control."
Is she a Democrat or a Republican?
"Neither," said Wimbish, who started her furniture career in 1973 and has been an assistant buyer, buyer, regional merchandise manager and rep. "In any election, whether it's local or national, I've tried to study the candidates and vote for the person that I thought was best for the job, based on current conditions. I did vote for President Bush. At this point, I'm leaning toward voting for him again, but I haven't made up my mind."
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