Treasury, Labor, HHS Recommend Bump in HSA Contribution Limits

Lawmakers and the Trump administration should expand consumers’ access to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Health Reimbursement Accounts, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury and Labor told the White House on Monday.

In a 119-page report, the departments laid out measures the Trump administration and Congress could consider to reform America’s health care system, including raising HSA contribution limits.

On Oct. 12, 2017, through Executive Order 13813, President Donald Trump directed his administration, to the extent consistent with the law, to recommend ways to improve the health care system so that it provides “high-quality care at affordable prices for the American people by promoting choice and competition,” the report states.

As to HSAs and HRAs, the departments made these recommendations:

• Congress should allow a greater number of HSA plans (e.g. any plan with an actuarial value below 70%) to be HSA-qualified plans; raise the contribution limit on HSAs, allow people to use their HSA to pay HSA-qualified non-group premiums; allow Medicare beneficiaries in enrolled high-deductible health plans to contribute to an HSA; and enable consumers with HSAs to enter into provider-consumer fixed-fee arrangements, including direct primary-care arrangements.
• The administration should explore ways to allow HSA-qualified plans greater ability to cover preventive low-cost treatments for chronic conditions.
• Consistent with Executive Order 13813, the administration should work through the regulatory process to increase the usability of HRAs, to expand employers’ ability to offer HRAs to their employees, and to allow HRAs to be used in conjunction with non-group coverage.