HSAs and Modern Care: How Telehealth and DPC Just Got Easier

Part 2 of 4: Understanding What’s New and How It Works

In Part 1, we introduced the major updates coming to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) under the new One Big Beautiful Bill. These changes are set to make HSAs more flexible and more aligned with how people access care today.

In this post, we’re taking a closer look at two of the most exciting developments: telehealth and Direct Primary Care (DPC).

For years, a frustrating technicality existed. Using certain convenient services could prevent you from contributing to your HSA. The new law fixes that issue and formally connects HSAs with modern healthcare models.

Telehealth Coverage Is Now a Permanent Benefit
Previously:
If your health plan covered telehealth visits before your deductible was met, it could disqualify you from contributing to your HSA. A temporary exception during the pandemic relaxed this restriction.

Now:
Effective immediately, your HSA-compatible health plan can offer telehealth services at little or no cost, even if you haven’t met your deductible.

What this means:
You no longer have to choose between convenience and your savings strategy. You can schedule a virtual visit for a minor illness, a mental health consultation, or a routine check-in without paying out of pocket or worrying about your HSA eligibility. This is a clear win for accessible, affordable care.

DPC and HSAs Can Now Work Together
What is DPC?
Direct Primary Care is a growing model in which patients pay a flat monthly fee directly to their doctor’s office for access to a range of primary care services. Until now, this arrangement was incompatible with HSA eligibility.

What’s changing: Beginning January 1, 2026:

• You can have a DPC membership and still contribute to your HSA.
  
  
• DPC membership fees (up to $150 per month for individuals or $300 per month for families) will count as qualified medical expenses.

What this means:
This is a major advancement for anyone who values the DPC model. You’ll be able to pay those fees directly from your HSA using tax-free dollars. This change gives individuals more control over how they receive care and how they fund it.

More Flexibility, More Choice
These two updates remove outdated restrictions and bring HSAs in line with modern care expectations. They empower employees to use their healthcare dollars in a way that works best for them.

Employers and benefit brokers also have a chance to rethink how care is delivered. With telehealth and DPC now supported by HSA rules, there’s new potential to build benefits plans that are more attractive, more personalized, and more effective.

What’s Next

Coming up next week, we’ll explore the strategic angle. We’ll take a closer look at how employers and brokers can take advantage of these new rules to modernize their approach and deliver more value.