There are four main HSA compliance “traps” that fall into 4 main categories:

• Disqualifying Coverage – eligibility violations
• Contribution issues – excess or ineligible contributions, failure to open an account
• Cafeteria Plan Issues
• Mistaken Contributions

This is the second blog post on disqualifying coverage. As mentioned previously, a health flexible spending arrangement (FSA) or a spouse’s FSA (unless it is limited purpose or post-deductible) is problematic.

However, employers who offer a health FSA also need to understand the complications if they also offer an HSA. Especially employers who have a calendar year FSA and their medical plan renews off calendar year. Or employers who add an HDHP when they already have a health FSA established. Their health FSA plan design may impact HSA eligibility, preventing employees from being eligible to participate in an HSA when they first enroll in a HSA compatible high deductible health plan (HDHP).

Grace Period

For instance, a grace period is an optional plan design feature that permits participants with unused amounts at the end of the plan year to continue incurring reimbursable claims from that unused balance for up to 2 ½^* months following the end of the plan year. This plan design disqualifies an individual from HSA eligibility unless they have a zero balance on the last day of plan year.

A zero balance means the claims have been processed and the account balance shows $0.00. If they have any amount in their FSA as of the last date of the plan year, they are not eligible to contribute (or receive contributions) to an HSA until first of the month following the end of the grace period. Even if they spend the remaining money during the grace period.

EXAMPLE:

• Kelsey is a full-time employee at Jam Studios. For 2020, Kelsey is enrolled in a PPO plan and contributes $2,750 to the calendar year health FSA with a 2 ½ month grace period.
• Jam Studios for 2021 open enrollment adds an HDHP plan with a $100/month employer HSA contribution.
• Kelsey decides the HDHP is a better option for her and elects this new plan option in November at open enrollment effective for the 1/1/2021 plan year.
• On December 31, 2020, Kelsey’s health FSA account had a $300 balance remaining. Kelsey is not eligible to open an HSA, make or receive any HSA contributions until the first of the month after the 2 ½ month grace period, or 4/1/2021. Even if Kelsey submits a claim for reimbursement during the grace period.

Carryover

Likewise, a carryover is an optional plan feature that permits health FSA participants to carryover up to $550 (2020 maximum*) of unused amounts the subsequent plan year. This may also create a problem.

Solutions

There are ways for the health FSA plan to be designed to avoid these hiccups. For instance, a plan with a:

• Grace Period or Carryover: Plans could be designed to permit participants to opt out or waive the grace period or carryover prior to the beginning of the following year.
• Carryover: Plans with a carryover could be designed so a minimum threshold amount is required to create a new annual election and if the employee’s balance is less than the minimum their health FSA participation does not automatically continue.
• Carryover: The employer with a carryover could offer a limited purpose FSA and design their plan so remaining funds automatically carry over to the limited purpose FSA for employees who elect an HDHP.

But these plan design options need to be made prior to the start of the plan year.** Therefore, employers need to be aware of these traps in order to educate their employees prior to being permitted to enroll in an employer’s HSA.

*The grace period timeframe and carryover limits mentioned are under generally applicable FSA rules. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and unanticipated changes in the availability of certain medical care, the IRS recognized employees may be more likely to have unused health FSA amounts at the end of plan years, or grace periods, ending in 2020. Notice 2020-29 provides temporary special rules that allowed employers to amend their cafeteria plans to extend the period employees could be permitted to use health FSA amounts remaining in their accounts as of the end of the grace period or plan year. However, an individual is not eligible to make contributions to an HSA during a month in which the individual participates in a general purpose health FSA to which unused amounts are carried over or the grace period is extended.

**The IRS made exceptions for plan amendment rules due to the pandemic. Employers may amend their plans to allow employees, on an employee-by-employee basis, to opt out of the carryover or to opt out of any extended period for incurring claims in plan years ending in 2021 and 2022, to preserve their HSA eligibility.

This is Part 2 of HSA Compliance Traps. Be sure to follow our blog to learn about the additional HSA Compliance Traps published later this year.

If you have a question, we are here to help! Let us end your employee benefits compliance confusion. Send us an email today!

The Compliance Rundown is not a law firm and cannot dispense legal advice. Anything contained in this post or on our website is not and should not be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact your legal counsel.