HSAs were boosted with strong support voiced by Steve Forbes, Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Magazine in that publication’s July 26th issue.

Forbes believes the Treasury Department’s June decision to exempt first dollar requirements by some states paves the way for greater acceptance in the near future.

Forbes' two-page article also echoes what others have said, namely that HSA adoption can be predicted by comparing them to IRA growth. HSAFinder.com’s recent report on this same subject also based long-term HSA growth on the IRA experience.

In his commentary, Forbes points to plastic surgery and laser vision surgery as two examples where competition and public awareness have driven down the cost of care.

The scribe, who has plumbed for market-driven initiatives in the past, points out that only healthcare as a percentage of total income has gone up in recent years.

Forbes also believes companies sponsoring HSAs can expect to see a growing accumulation of cash in HSA accounts. He also believes compound interest will make these funds significant factors in the healthcare equation.

Finally, Forbes believes the nation should focus healthcare as a source of coverage for major risk “instead of the dollar-for-dollar kind of coverage we have now.”

Meanwhile, up Fifth Avenue and one block west, Business Week is busily sorting out its position on HSAs. The influential tome has covered HSAs both positively and negatively.

Fortune, the other big business book leader has yet to chime in on HSAs but is reportedly working on a major analysis for the fall.