HSA Eligibility Expanded: Who Can Contribute to Health Savings Accounts in 2025?

The Major Policy Shift: What Changed

Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), which took effect in July 2025, fundamentally transformed the landscape for health savings accounts. The legislation opened doors for millions of additional Americans to take advantage of HSA benefits—a financial tool offering a rare triple tax benefit that savvy investors have long recognized.

For decades, HSA eligibility was narrowly restricted. Only those enrolled in high-deductible health plans could contribute. Now, the rules have shifted dramatically, creating new opportunities for a broader population to build tax-advantaged savings for medical expenses.

Understanding the HSA Triple Tax Advantage

Before diving into who qualifies, it’s worth understanding why HSAs matter so much. These accounts deliver three distinct benefits:

First, your contributions reduce your taxable income in the year you make them. Second, any money invested within the account can appreciate over time completely tax-free. Third, withdrawals for qualified medical expenses avoid taxation entirely.

This combination—pre-tax contributions, tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals—is exceptionally rare in the financial world, making HSAs a powerful wealth-building tool for those able to contribute.

Newly Eligible Groups

ACA Marketplace Plans Now Qualify

Under OBBB, starting January 1, 2025, people enrolled in Bronze and Catastrophic plans purchased through the Affordable Care Act marketplace gained HSA eligibility. Previously, ACA enrollment meant automatic HSA disqualification. This represents a significant expansion for millions of Americans using ACA coverage.

Direct Primary Care Members: A Game-Changer

Perhaps the most surprising development involves direct primary care arrangements. These subscription-based doctor services—where you pay a monthly flat fee for access to primary care services, routine checkups, consultations, and basic lab work—were previously incompatible with HSA ownership.

This restriction has been lifted, provided your monthly direct primary care fee doesn’t exceed $150 for individual coverage or $300 for family plans. Even better: you can now use your HSA funds to pay your direct primary care subscription itself.

The Traditional High-Deductible Plan Route

The original pathway to HSA contribution remains intact. High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) still qualify, defined by annual deductibles of at least $1,700 for individual coverage and $3,400 for family coverage. These plans typically feature higher out-of-pocket requirements but lower premiums compared to PPO alternatives.

Contribution Limits for 2026

If you’re eligible to contribute, here’s what you can set aside:

• Individual coverage: $4,400 annually
• Family coverage: $8,750 annually
• Age 55+: Add an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution

Even if you cannot maximize these amounts, any contribution captures the tax advantage that traditional savings accounts simply cannot match.

Important Eligibility Restrictions

HSA eligibility does have boundaries. You cannot contribute to an HSA if you’re enrolled in Medicare, regardless of other coverage types. Similarly, your direct primary care subscription must fall within the specified fee thresholds to maintain HSA eligibility.

The Bottom Line

The OBBB’s expansion of HSA access represents a meaningful shift in retirement and healthcare financial planning. Whether you’re newly eligible through an ACA marketplace plan, a direct primary care participant, or a traditional HDHP enrollee, the opportunity to contribute to an HSA may offer significant tax advantages worth exploring with a tax professional.