FlexOptions Health Savings Account (HSA)
Economical, Rewarding, Alleviates Cost.
How Does It Work?
The Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-deferred
savings account that allows employers to alleviate the rising
cost of health care by helping employees save for qualified*
individual or family medical and retiree health expenses on
a tax-free basis. Both employers and employees can contribute
to the HSA in the same plan year and contribution amounts
may be adjusted at any time.
CoPower bridges the gap between the insurance carrier and
the HSA trustee by providing critical services necessary for
a worksite product, including reporting, ongoing administrations,
compliance guidance, legislative updates and contribution
management.
Save Big with Pre-Tax Deductions.
Pretax HSA! CoPower offers the added benefit of a section
125 cafeteria plan where HSA contributions can be made on
a pretax basis, resulting in an additional 7.65% FICA/FUTA
savings to both the employer and employee. CoPower will prepare
the required plan documents, conduct nondiscrimination testing,
and work with the bank to ensure that accounts are set up
and funded properly.
CoPower has partnered with HSA Bank™ as our preferred
HSA trustee. HSA Bank is a recognized leader in the HSA market.
Covered Expenses.
Use your HSA funds to pay for the following qualified medical expenses (partial list):
| Medical expenses: |
Preventative services: |
| • |
Prescription & non-prescription drugs |
• |
Periodic health examinations |
| • |
Qualified long-term care services and insurance |
• |
Tobacco cessation & obesity weight loss programs |
| • |
Office visits, lab procedures, orthodontia and surgeries |
• |
Immunizations and health screenings |
| • |
Health premiums for COBRA, or when receiving unemployment benefits |
|
Qualified vs. Non-Qualified Expenses.
Under an HSA, qualified medical expenses, like the ones above,
can be paid on a tax-free basis. If HSA funds are used towards
a non-qualified medical expense, the payment is subject to
a 10% penalty and income tax. Participants over 65 can use
their HSA funds tax-free for both qualified and non-qualified
medical expenses.
No third party substantiation for expenses is required!
The account holder is responsible for reporting medical and non-medical expenses directly to the IRS.
Save Money and Maintain Control.
Employers and employees can benefit from the advantages of an HSA:
| • |
Employee-owned and transferable |
• |
Individuals over 55 can make additional catch-up contributions (amounts vary by year) |
| • |
Earnings grow tax-free |
| • |
Unused funds roll over year after year |
• |
Tax savings |
| • |
A variety of withdrawal methods to pay for health care expenses |
• |
Not subject to COBRA |
| • |
Can be used to purchase long-term care insurance |
|
Example of Contribution Tax Savings**
| Individual Coverage |
Employee Savings |
Family Coverage |
 |
 |
$2,900 |
 |
Maximum Annual Contribution |
$5,800 |
 |
|
$812 |
 |
Federal Tax Savings |
$1,624 |
 |
|
$222 |
 |
FICA Savings |
$444 |
 |
|
|
$1,034 |
 |
Total Annual Tax Savings |
$2,068 |
 |
|
This table is based on a 28% tax bracket and is provided as an example of possible tax savings. Actual tax savings will vary by tax bracket.
Eligibility.
In order to contribute to an HSA, an individual:
- Cannot be claimed as a dependent on another person’s
tax return
- Cannot be enrolled in Medicare coverage
- Must be covered by a qualified High Deductible Health
Plan (HDHP) and no other health plan unless specifically
permitted by the IRS.***
- Can also be paired with an Limited Health Flexible Spending
Account (LHFSA)
Not sure if your health plan is an HDHP? Refer to our HDHP plan specifications below to find out.
HDHP Plan Specifications.
Maximum Contributions.
Up to 100% of the annual maximum contribution limit, even if the deductible for the HDHP is less, can be contributed to the HSA. These funds earn interest tax-free on IRA-approved investments.
Convenient Access to HSA Funds.
CoPower offers a variety of withdrawal methods to provide participants with quick and easy access to their account.
- The HSA Bank VISA® debit card makes it easy and convenient to instantly pay for qualified health care services up to the amount available in the account.*
- If preferred, they may also choose the convenience of checks, for a nominal fee, to access the account.
- If participants pay their expenses out of pocket, they also have the option to submit a withdrawal form and HSA Bank will send them a distribution check.
- Participants also have the option to do an ATM or point-of-sale PIN withdrawal for a nominal fee.
To make sure employees receive any network discounts associated with their health plan, they should wait to pay the provider until they have received an explanation of benefits (EOB).
Customer Service and Account Information.
With CoPower’s HSA, participants have access to account information in various ways.
- Dedicated Personal Bankers are available Monday through Friday (except Holidays) from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST. Dedicated Spanish-speaking representatives are available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST. Call 800.357.6246 with HSA questions.
- Internet Banking through www.HSABank.com provides access to transaction details, check images, year-to-date account information, and so much more, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Call the automated Bank Line at 800.565.3512 to check account balances by phone at any time.
Stay in Compliance.
Key rules that govern HSAs include:
- Plan document, Summary Plan Description
and Non-Discrimination testing for Pretax HSAs
- Not subject to “use or lose it”—Unused
HSA funds roll over from year to year
- No claims substantiation necessary
- Employer contributions must be comparable for all employees
* |
Non-medical distributions from the HSA are subject to income taxes and a minimal 10% penalty. A complete list of qualified Section 213(d) medical expenses is available in CoPower’s Health Care Expense Table or by logging on to http://uscode.house.gov (Title 26). |
** |
Alabama, California, New Jersey, and Wisconsin
have not yet adopted the HSA law. HSA contributions are
subject to state taxes for residents of those states. |
*** |
HSA regulations allow eligible employees to have certain permitted insurance (i.e., hospital & cancer insurance) and permitted coverage (i.e., preventative, dental). |
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