| News from Washington |
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| Understanding the Trump Impact: 5 Areas to Watch in Wake of the 2024 U.S. Election Results Executives should remain aware of changes that affect investment, employee benefits, retirement and compensation. Here are five areas to watch to better understand how the 2024 election results might impact capital markets, retirement, health insurance and compensation plans. Read More |
| Direct Primary Care Cuts Out Insurance Companies. Could It Gain Traction Under Trump? Direct primary care is an increasingly popular health care option, and experts say it may become more common under health policy changes that President Donald Trump’s administration is expected to pursue. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, mentioned direct primary care during his recent confirmation hearings. Read More |
| Compliance Corner |
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| The HSA Eligibility Requirements: Part II HSA eligibility is the key to unlocking access to the triple-tax advantaged HSA. Employers should be familiar with the HSA eligibility rules both for purposes of their limited range of responsibility and addressing the common (and usually quite basic) questions employees often raise in this area. Read More |
| Best Practices |
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| Are You Giving Your Employees Bad Retirement Advice? Most millennial and Gen Z employees are in for a rude awakening when they retire because they aren’t saving enough and they’re getting bad tax advice, according to the head of a Phoenix-based wealth management firm. Companies need to take responsibility for teaching their employees how to save, and for providing millennial and Gen Z employees with better access to tools that can show whether their retirement savings are on track, he says. Read More |
| HSA Industry News |
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| HSA Store Launches New HSA Learning Center to Improve Education, Utilization of HSAs for Consumers and Employers HSA Store Announced the launch of an all-new HSA Learning Center. This resource is free to HSA users, employers, HR professionals, and TPAs, and is designed to boost consumer knowledge of how tax-free funds work so account holders can confidently use their HSA funds to support their unique health needs and financial goals. Read More |
| Market Trends |
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| HDHP Enrollment Declines for Second Year in a Row The percentage of private-sector employees enrolled in high-deductible health plans fell for the second consecutive year in 2023, a new study finds. Industry data from Willis Towers Watson shows a 33% decrease in the number of employers offering only high-deductible plans since peaking in 2020. One industry expert believes the COVID-19 pandemic was largely responsible for the decline. Read More |
| The Decline of the Small-Group Health Insurance Market: Can Policymakers Save It? Policymakers in Washington and state capitals could soon have a decision to make: Do more to shore up the small-group health insurance market or pursue other options. Some executives in the commercial health insurance market say the future lies in ICHRAs and other “cash for coverage” arrangements. Read More |
| HSAs & Retirement |
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| This Underappreciated Retirement Account Should Definitely Be on Your Radar in 2025 Health Savings Accounts aren’t technically retirement accounts. They’re designed to help pay medical bills for those with high-deductible health insurance plans. HSAs are a great option for those who want to set aside money for retirement but lack access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Read More |
| Maximizing Your HSA |
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| How to Use Your HSA and FSA for Disaster Recovery Natural disasters can have devastating effects, leaving individuals and families in urgent need of essential supplies and financial resources. While insurance is often the primary safety net, FSAs, HSAs, lifestyle spending accounts, and emergency funds can also play an important role in recovery. Here’s how you can use these resources to cover critical expenses and get back on your feet faster. Read More |
| Consumer-Driven Health Care |
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| Boosting HSA & FSA Impact: How Employers Can Lower Health Care Costs As health care costs continue to climb, both employers and employees face mounting challenges. By providing proactive benefits support, employers empower their teams to make confident health and financial choices that actually reduce the cost of care — building a culture of trust, security, and resilience that lasts. Read More |
| Cigna Plans to Limit Out-of-Pocket Drug Costs for Patients Cigna Group plans to limit patients’ out-of-pocket expenses for medications as the insurer faces pressure from Washington over its role in prescription costs. The changes aim to ensure that patients don’t pay the drug company’s list price for medications and don’t pay more out-of-pocket for their medications than the amount that their employer contributes. Read More |