HSA News for August 31, 2026
HSA News is compiled weekly by Mr. HSA Roy Ramthun.
HSA Studies & Analysis
HSA Participation Hits Record Level Among American Employees
According to the Plan Sponsor Council of America’s 2026 HSA Survey, 83% of eligible U.S. employees contributed to HSA accounts in 2025, a significant increase from 73% in last year’s survey. However, PSCA found only a quarter of employers have worked to actively position their HSA programs as part of a unified retirement savings plan.
Compliance Corner
Part 2: Switched into an HSA-qualified Plan? Here's Your Contribution Limit.
Becoming HSA-eligible mid-year is, for some people, a good-news/bad-news situation. HSA owners have options, which requires some projections and analysis of your personal situation. The beauty of the Last-Month Rule is that it keeps a simple option (straight prorating) in place as it offers a potentially more lucrative path for those who wish to navigate less stable terrain to, potentially, a higher financial plateau.
Market Trends
Employer Healthcare Costs to Surge in 2027 Due to Catastrophic Claims, Specialty Drugs
Record healthcare costs are already here, and employers expect them to skyrocket even further due to the costs of catastrophic claims and specialty drugs, according to several recent reports. According to Business Group on Health’s latest survey, employers predict that healthcare cost increases next year will rise a median of 9.2%, before plan changes.
Cigna Unveils New Plan to Bring Together Medical, Supplemental Benefits
Cigna has unveiled a new employer benefit that aims to better link medical and supplemental benefits as an option for employers with 500 to 2,999 employees that currently offer a high-deductible health plan. The plan is designed to offer members support in managing unexpectedly high costs should they occur.
HSAs & Retirement
Why Retirees May Be Missing Out on Health Savings Account Benefits
New research shows many retirees may not be taking full advantage of HSAs. HSA owners 65 and older tend to contribute less than 55- to 64-year-olds and are less likely to invest their balances than account holders ages 35 to 64. HSAs can provide benefits for every age group but can be particularly helpful for retirees since health problems and spending rise with age.
HSAs Are Sex-Agnostic, But Given Average Lifespans, Women Benefit Especially
Although the benefits of HSAs accrue equally to both men and women, differences between the sexes--particularly average longevity--make them an even better deal for women. It is critical that single women and opposite-sex married couples understand these differences so that they can plan their financial lives to maximize their spending power, particularly in retirement.
Maximizing Your HSA
Average HSA Balance by Age in 2026 and What to Aim For
Amassing a large HSA balance requires regular contributions, which are capped by annual IRS limits. If you started saving later in your career, you may already be falling behind. Comparing your balance to the average of your age group is one way to evaluate your savings performance.
Consumer-Driven Healthcare
Her Breast MRI Was Approved, But That Didn’t Mean Her Insurance Would Pay
Last year, Stephanie Halver's doctor recommended she get an annual breast MRI to detect abnormalities that mammograms miss since she has dense breast tissue and a family history of breast cancer. After Halver’s insurer preapproved the scan, she scheduled the MRI for September and luckily they found nothing. Then the bill came.