HSA News for December 19, 2022
HSA news is compiled weekly by Mr. HSA, Roy Ramthun.
HSA Compliance Corner
Does Spouse's Disqualification End the Other Spouse's Catch-Up Opportunity?
Your spouse is no longer HSA-eligible. Can you make catch-up contributions to your own Health Savings Account? It depends. Are you still enrolled in an HSA-qualified medical plan? Do you have any disqualifying coverage? Medicare is often the most confusing of these disqualifying events. This article can help you make sense of all the important details.
Challenges with Post-Deductible HRA Reimbursement in Conjunction with HDHP Deductibles
Generally speaking, no medical expenses can be paid by the HDHP or any other applicable coverage, such as an HRA, before the minimum deductible is hit (there are certain limited exceptions, like preventive care). A post-deductible HRA is one way to provide HRA benefits without interfering with the HSA eligibility. However, the minimum deductible rule poses challenges for post-deductible HRAs.
Industry Best Practices
How Pfizer Designed a Unique HSA That Delivered Value to All Colleagues
In 2021, Pfizer was one of just a few organizations in the pharmaceutical space not offering an HSA-qualified health plan and account benefit—and their employees were asking for one. Pfizer wanted to find a way to offer an HSA-qualified health plan that would provide comprehensive coverage to colleagues across the income spectrum, particularly regarding prescription drug coverage. Here's how they did it.
The HSA Market
CMS Proposes Cap on Non-Standard ACA Plans, Network Adequacy Standard Changes for 2024
The Biden administration wants to limit to two the number of non-standardized ACA exchange plans (this includes HSA-qualified plans) an insurer can offer on HealthCare.gov in 2024 as part of an effort to make it easier for consumers to pick a plan. CMS released the proposal in its annual Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters rule governing the ACA exchanges for the 2024 coverage year.
HSAs & Retirement
3 Retirement Savings Plans We Should All Be Thankful For
HSAs aren't technically retirement savings plans, but the funds in your HSA never expire, and you can invest money you aren't using, so it can grow over time. Since healthcare is a massive expense for many seniors, carrying a large HSA balance into retirement could make for a lot less financial stress during your later years. Plus, once you turn 65, you're allowed to take an HSA withdrawal for any reason penalty-free.
Maximizing Your HSA
Does an IRA-to-HSA Rollover Make Sense? It Depends on Many Factors.
The once-per-lifetime opportunity to roll over IRA funds to a Health Savings Account gives you more flexibility in managing your personal finances. But you must weigh the benefits and drawbacks before acting. You may benefit financially by keeping your IRA balance intact and funding your HSA more aggressively.
Consumer-Driven Health Care
Health-E Commerce Announces Partnership with Lexie Hearing to Offer Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids on FSAstore.com and HSAstore.com
Health-E Commerce announced a partnership with Lexie Hearing that will make over-the-counter hearing aids available for purchase on FSAstore.com and HSAstore.com. The announcement comes on the heels of recent regulations that allow OTC hearing aids to be offered to consumers. This change is expected to help millions of consumers with hearing loss save as much as $3,000 on a single pair of hearing aids.
Price Transparency a Hot Topic, but Many Patients Still Caught Off Guard by Imaging Bills
Price transparency initiatives pertaining to shoppable imaging services might not provide reliable or useful information to patients, according to a new paper that explained how two aspects of billing complexity make providing reliable price estimates to patients difficult: the number of parties involved in providing care, and billing for fees and ancillary services outside of the actual imaging exam itself.