Will Bush's insurance scheme help the uninsured?

After the election of George W Bush as US president last week, healthcare specialists are debating the effect his healthcare policies may have on the US population.

The lynchpin of the president's health reform plan is the creation of health savings accounts. The accounts, according to President Bush, will help the uninsured and give consumers more control over their healthcare dollar.

The plan, part of the Medicare reform bill passed by Congress in December 2003, establishes a tax-free account that can be used to pay for medical expenses.

The account must be coupled with a high deductible insurance plan, under which the insured person will have to pay the first part of any large claim themselves. The plans are …