HSAs Worth the Hype? Understanding Your New Eligibility Under Trump's Latest Bill

The Game-Changing OBBB and Your Tax Savings

When the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) passed into law in July 2025, it quietly opened doors for millions of Americans to access health savings accounts that were previously off-limits. The question isn’t just whether HSAs are worth it—it’s whether you now qualify to use one.

Health savings accounts offer a powerful 3-part tax advantage: your contributions reduce your taxable income for the year, your money grows tax-free if invested, and you can withdraw funds without taxes as long as you spend them on qualified medical expenses. For those now newly eligible, this represents a significant opportunity to optimize their finances.

Who Can Now Contribute? The Expanded Eligibility Rules

The eligibility landscape has shifted dramatically. Traditionally, only people signed up for high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) could open an HSA. An HDHP requires you to cover at least $1,700 out-of-pocket annually for individual coverage, or $3,400 for families, before insurance kicks in. You get lower premiums in exchange for higher upfront costs.

That’s no longer the only path. As of January 1, 2025, individuals enrolled in Bronze or Catastrophic coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace now qualify to contribute to an HSA. This expansion alone touches millions of people who were previously excluded.

However, one group remains ineligible: anyone already enrolled in Medicare cannot use an HSA, regardless of other circumstances.

A Win for Direct Primary Care Subscribers

Here’s a bonus benefit that surprised many: if you subscribe to direct primary care—essentially paying a monthly flat fee to a doctor for routine services like checkups and basic lab work—you’re no longer locked out of HSA eligibility.

Previously, having a direct primary care membership disqualified you from opening an HSA. That’s changed. You can now maintain both as long as your monthly subscription stays under $150 for individual coverage or $300 for family plans. Even better, you can use your HSA funds to pay that subscription fee directly.

How Much Can You Save? 2026 Contribution Limits

If you’re wondering whether HSAs are worth it, the numbers help answer that question. For 2026, the contribution limits are:

• Self-only coverage: $4,400
• Family coverage: $8,750
• Age 55+: An additional $1,000 catch-up contribution available

Even if you can’t contribute the full amount, any deposits create a unique tax break unavailable through other savings vehicles. The combination of upfront tax deductions, tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals for medical expenses creates a financial advantage worth maximizing.

Why This Matters Now

The expansion under the OBBB represents one of the most significant changes to HSA accessibility in years. If you fall into one of the newly eligible categories—ACA Bronze/Catastrophic plan holder or direct primary care subscriber—this is the moment to act. The longer you wait to fund an HSA, the more compound growth you miss out on.

For many Americans, this policy shift answers the question of whether HSAs are worth it with a resounding yes, especially for those who now have access to this triple tax advantage for the first time.