HSA News for October 12, 2026
HSA news is compiled weekly by Mr. HSA, Roy Ramthun.
News from Washington
HSA Council Offers Senators Recommendations for Expanding Account Access
In response to an RFI from the Senate Finance Committee, the American Bankers Association’s HSA Council said lawmakers should consider policies that strengthen the value and accessibility of HSAs rather than policies that inadvertently discourage employers from offering HSA-qualified coverage. The Council also offered several recommendations to make HSAs more useful to all Americans.
Health Insurers Must Give Personalized Cost Estimates by Phone Starting with 2027 Plan Years Under Final Federal Rules
Starting with plan years that begin on or after January 1, 2027, most employer health plans and health insurers will have to tell members by phone what a covered service is likely to cost them out of pocket under final federal transparency rules announced on October 5, 2026. For many people, the change is about who can actually get an answer.
Market Trends
Could a New Type of Health Benefit Transform How Workers Get Health Insurance?
For generations, employers have provided most workers private health benefits coverage through an employment based plan. As costs have continued to rise, policymakers, economists, and business leaders have long debated whether there might be a different approach. Instead of sponsoring a group health plan, what if employers provided workers with a fixed contribution and allowed them to choose and purchase their own coverage?
HSAs & Retirement
The Account High Earners Are Filling Before Their 401(k) in 2026 Isn’t a Roth
SECURE 2.0 forces workers 50+ earning over $150,000 to make catch-up 401(k) contributions as Roth, costing a 55-year-old in the 24% bracket roughly $1,900 in lost deductions. For high earners in their 50s and early 60s, the best pre-tax dollar left in 2026 now sits in an HSA. Here is why the HSA belongs ahead of those catch-up contributions.
These 4 Steps Can Help You Sidestep the Medicare Enrollment Trap That Catches Many Working Retiree
A Medicare enrollment trap springs most often on the very people who feel least worried about it: Those working past 65 with what they assume is perfectly good employer coverage. But a hard Medicare deadline with a permanent penalty attached can snare people who did everything else right. Here's how it happens, why it costs real money and what to do about it.
Long-Term Care at Home Preferred by Most Adults, but Few Make Financial Plans
Most consumers anticipate needing long-term care for themselves or for loved ones, but only a minority have planned for the potential costs, according to a recent study. Most respondents preferred long-term care at home to living in a nursing home or other facility. But 54% had not made financial plans for their own long-term-care needs, and 60% had not prepared for other family members’ care needs.
Maximizing Your HSA
HSA Day 2026: How an HSA Can Be a Financial Safety Net
Most people are comfortable budgeting for predictable expenses like rent, groceries and monthly bills. But healthcare can be different. With HSA Day just around the corner (October 15), it’s a good time to take a closer look at one of the most practical reasons to contribute to an HSA: preparing for life’s unscripted healthcare expenses.
Your Job's Health Account Is Free Money You're Leaving on the Table: The HSA and FSA Explained
If your job offers health insurance, you might be sitting on one of the best money deals in the entire tax code and not even know it. HSAs and FSAs may sound like boring HR paperwork, but they're actually a way to pay for stuff you're already buying with money the IRS never touches. Let's break it down.
Company Offering You a CHOICE? Consider the HSA Opportunity.
More employers are giving employees a stipend to purchase coverage on their own through a CHOICE plan. Paired with Health Savings Accounts, these plans create a dynamic duo for many workers who purchase coverage in the non-group market. But there are some important caveats for enrollees who want to open and fund an HSA.
Consumer-Driven Healthcare
Survey: Overwhelming Majority of HSA/FSA Account Holders Would Use Funds for Oral Care
A new survey finds that 83% of HSA and health FSA holders would use those funds to purchase everyday oral care products such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, and mouthwash if eligible, highlighting strong interest in greater flexibility to use these funds for preventive oral care. Interest is especially high among families and younger adults.
Suze Orman Warns 'Financial Havoc' Is in Store if You Overlook 2 Changes to Your Health Insurance in the Next Few Weeks
if you’re bracing for higher health insurance premiums as the end of the year creeps up, keep bracing: The news might be worse than you think, as some consumers could see premium increases of nearly 10% for 2027. But if your premium is all you’re paying attention to, you might get a nasty surprise once you start paying for healthcare.