Politics

Mitch Daniels: Health Savings Accounts Key for Health Care Reform

By Lauren Seifert

March 2, 2010 / 4:07 PM EST / CBS News

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who has been mentioned as a possible 2012 Republican presidential candidate, wrote an impassioned op-ed in Monday's Wall Street Journal on how Health Savings Accounts, long criticized by Democrats, are reducing costs for his state and its employees.

On Tuesday's "Washington Unplugged" Daniels discussed HSAs in an interview with moderator Nancy Cordes.

"It's our current system that favors the wealthy and the healthy. The HSA, I think respects the autonomy and dignity of its participants," he said.

Daniels added, "It's saving a lot of money for the employee and the employer." In Daniels' case, the employer is the state of Indiana.

Watch the full interview above. The show also includes an interview with Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, who just yesterday announced a primary challenge to Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln.

"Washington Unplugged" appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 12:30 p.m. ET. here to check out previous episodes.