

Review the eligibility considerations for an HSA.Subtract the annual plan contributions from the annual plan deductible to determine your true out-of-pocket cost (also known as your “net deductible”).Review the plan design elements: deductible, out-of-pocket limits, the amount the plan contributes to your HSA, known as the "premium pass through," or the amount the plan credits to your HRA.Review the drug and other costs not applied to catastrophic limits under a traditional plan.Determine the premium you would pay out of your pay check.There are a number of steps FEHB members should take to assist them in making an informed decision as to whether or not an HDHP/HSA or HRA is the right health program option for them. With an HDHP, once you hit the catastrophic limit, there is no out-of-pocket expense for covered in-network services. This can happen because traditional plans may exclude drug and other costs from their catastrophic limits but an HDHP cannot. If your in-network medical expenses would trigger the catastrophic limit, you may also want to consider an HDHP, if the nature of those expenses is such that you continue to pay out-of-pocket costs in your traditional plan even after you hit your traditional plan's lower catastrophic limit.If you would like to save for medical expenses in the future or qualified medical expenses not covered by the health plan (Lasix, orthodontia), you should consider an HDHP.If you would benefit from reducing your taxable income by contributing to your HSA, you should consider an HDHP.If your medical expenses are generally low, you should definitely consider an HDHP.In-network preventive care services are provided at no cost. With the exception of preventive care, the annual deductible must be met before the plan benefits are paid. Using in-network providers will save you money. The health plan determines eligibility for a Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA).ĭepending on the HDHP you elect, you may have the choice of using either in-network and or out-of-network providers. Service delivery in the HDHP program within the FEHB Program may be offered with a: Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), or Point of Service (POS) plan.
#Hsa qualified expenses plus#
HDHPs in the FEHB Program have annual out-of-pocket limits which do not exceed $7,000for Self Only coverage and $14,000 for Self Plus One/Self and Family coverage. For 2021, an HDHP in the FEHB Program has a minimum annual deductible of $1,400 for Self Only coverage and $2,800 for Self Plus One/Self and Family coverage (the deductible amount is indexed every year). HDHPs may have a higher annual deductible than traditional health plans. Federal Employees Receiving Premium Conversion Tax Benefits.Coordination of Medicare and FEHB Benefits.“When reimbursing himself from the HSA, it’s important that he maintains proof of payment and documentation that the expenses were eligible, in the event of an audit (although he does not need to submit any receipts to be reimbursed),” says Begonya Klumb, head of HSAs for Fidelity Health Care Group. And you can’t withdraw money for expenses you incurred before you opened up the HSA. You just need to keep receipts showing that you paid for eligible expenses. So if you’ve had an HSA for several years and didn’t realize you could withdraw money tax-free for Medicare premiums, you could reimburse yourself for all of those premiums at any time. You can keep the money growing tax-deferred in the account, then withdraw it tax-free at any time in the future to reimburse yourself for any eligible expenses you have incurred since you opened the HSA. After you turn 65, you can use HSA money tax-free to pay premiums for Medicare parts B and D and Medicare Advantage plans (but not premiums for Medicare supplement policies), in addition to paying for other out-of-pocket medical expenses.Īnd there’s no time limit for withdrawing money from an HSA to pay for those expenses. Answer: Even though you have your Medicare premiums paid directly out of your Social Security benefits, you can withdraw money tax-free from your HSA to reimburse yourself for those expenses.
