With healthcare costs continuing to rise in the U.S., many employers have been forced to reduce health benefits, shift more costs to employees or drop coverage entirely.
Less than two-thirds of all employers now offer health insurance to their employees and many self-employed people find it challenging to provide coverage for their families.
Meredith Village Savings Bank offers a solution to the problem by providing Health Savings Accounts – tax-advantaged, interest-earning accounts established exclusively for the purpose of paying or reimbursing qualified medical expenses. Authorized by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, Health Savings Accounts (or HSAs, as they are commonly called) can help raise consumer awareness of the real costs of health care and give individuals greater decision-making control over their medical spending.
HSAs allow account-holders and family members to write checks – or use a special debit card – to pay medical bills that are not covered by their health insurance provider. A high deductible health plan is required to open a health savings account.
Health Savings Account Benefits:
Tax Savings
Ownership
Portability
Control
You make the decisions about:
- How much money to put into the account
- Whether to save the account for future expenses or pay current medical expenses
- Which medical expenses to pay from the account
- Which company will hold the account
- Whether to invest any of the money in the account
- Which investments to make
Savings
Flexibility
You can use the funds in your account to pay for current medical expenses, including expenses that your insurance may not cover, or save the money in your account for future needs, such as:
- Health insurance or medical expenses if unemployed
- Medical expenses after retirement (before Medicare)
- Out-of-pocket expenses when covered by Medicare
- Long-term care expenses and insurance
Affordability
Security
Consult your tax advisor for more information on how these benefits may apply to you.
For more information:
The IRS and US Department of the Treasury offer up to date information about HSAs on their websites.