HSA News for October 26, 2026
HSA news is compiled weekly by Mr. HSA, Roy Ramthun.
News from Washington
Make More HSA Options Available to Federal Employees, ABA HSA Council Says
As the Office of Personnel Management considers possible changes to federal employee health benefits, it should create more opportunities for employees to select health savings account-qualified, high-deductible health plans, the American Bankers Association HSA Council said in a letter to the agency.
ABA Health Savings Account Council Letter to OPM Regarding the RFI on Federal Employees Health Benefits
The HSA Council encourages the OPM to preserve broad choice among federal employee health plan designs while creating additional opportunities for competition and innovation among HSA-qualified plans. Properly designed, HSA-qualified plans combine comprehensive insurance protection, lower premiums, tax-advantaged healthcare savings, and the opportunity to save for future healthcare expenses.
Compliance Corner
What Do You Need to Know About the HSA Comparability Rules? Probably Nothing.
The term “comparability rules” has a specific meaning with respect to Health Savings Account contributions. Under these rules, employers must treat all HSA-eligible employees within limited categories comparably. The comparability rules rarely apply because most employers offer a Section 125 “cafeteria plan” that offers more flexibility for employers and employees.
Your New Hair Makes You Look 20 Years Younger! But Is It a Qualified Expense?
Can I reimburse what I spend on hair-restoration services tax-free from my HSA? It depends. If you suffer from natural hair loss, you cannot reimburse tax-free from your HSA any remedies to restore or thicken your hair. On the other hand, if you lose your hair due to an illness or condition, your doctor may prescribe a wig to enhance your mental health.
HSA Studies & Analysis
Devenir: HSA Deposit Rate Update – September 2026
HSA deposit rates remained unchanged across all balance tiers at the end of the third quarter of 2026, marking the second consecutive quarter of rate stability. The low-balance tier held steady at 0.45%, while the middle- and high-balance tiers remained at 0.55% and 0.60%, respectively.
Paying for Direct Primary Care Through Employer HRAs Slowed Cost Growth Over Five Years, Data Show
According to a new study, employers that covered workers’ direct primary care memberships through a Health Reimbursement Arrangement held annual health care cost growth to 0.9% over five years. The expected trend was 6.2%. Emergency department visits fell 31% and inpatient hospital admissions fell 71%. Participating employers saved $13.84 million over the period, a 2.2-times return on investment, the companies said.
Market Trends
Workers Hit Hard by Rising Employer Health Insurance Costs
Costs are spiking for the millions of Americans who rely on workplace-sponsored health insurance, with small businesses and their employees being hit especially hard. According to a new survey, the average cost of a family plan increased by 5 percent, topping $28,000 this year. Workers are paying $7,471 annually toward the premiums for employer-sponsored family health benefits this year on average, a 9 percent increase.
HSAs & Retirement
HSA or FSA? Your Open Enrollment Choice Could Affect Your Retirement
It's open enrollment season, and that means many people are busy decoding a variety of acronyms, including “HSA” or “FSA.” Whether to enroll in a healthcare Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account is one where the answer could change the course of your retirement. An HSA is more like an investment account for your healthcare costs. HSA dollars never "expire" like the FSA, and if you leave your job, the HSA goes with you.
Why HR Leaders Must Rethink the HSA as a Retirement Tool
For most employees, the HSA their employer helped set up is little more than a place to park money before a doctor’s visit. That could be one of the most consequential missed opportunities in American workplace benefits today. The scale of the problem becomes clear when retirement healthcare costs are quantified. The first and most immediate action is to audit the HSA bank your organization offers and confirm that it provides investment options beyond a cash sweep account. Many do not.
Maximizing Your HSA
An HSA Is the Only Account With a Triple Tax Break. Here’s How to Use It After 65
An HSA skips tax at both ends, meaning contributions are deductible, growth compounds untaxed, and medical withdrawals are fully tax-free. A couple paying Part B premiums from an HSA instead of a traditional IRA saves roughly $1,373 a year in federal taxes.
Crossing the $218,000 MAGI threshold costs joint filers an extra $2,297 annually in Medicare premiums, but qualified HSA withdrawals don't count toward that limit.