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Health savings accounts are only for people with hdhp health plans? If someone plans to retire early they are unable to find their own health savings account?
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I think it is important to differentiate between health saving and HSAs. There is nothing preventing anyone from saving for future health expenses. HSAs are one vehicle for doing so, but just because you're not eligible for an HSA doesn't mean you cannot save money for future health expenses. It may seem obvious but so many people get indignant about the restrictions on tax-advantaged accounts that they start trying to promote the idea that the restrictions are in some way preventing people from saving money, which is simply untrue.
HSAs are a legal tax shelter. They allow taxpayers to contribute earned income pre-tax, subject to conditions. HSAs are intended to encourage people to monitor and manage healthcare spending made in their own interest by having them put more "skin in the game" through a qualifying HDHC plan. The rationale is that the more someone pays out of pocket for current healthcare expenses, the more they'll ask questions and keep an eye on those expenses to make sure that they're medically necessary. The reward for this is an additional tax advantage, namely, the HSA.
Since the advantage of the HSA is being able to avoid paying income tax on the money contributed, clearly it only makes sense to folks who have earned income. Otherwise, there is nothing to shelter.
Retiring early actually has no impact on this at all. An early retiree can get a private health insurance plan that is an HDHC plan and HSA eligible. But again, without income to shelter, what's the point? So it isn't retiring that early that matters, but rather the decision to not have an earned income.
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