HRA-ammer Time: Nailing Costs with a Post-Deductible HRA

Health Savings Accounts can be used to pay for telehealth, easing the sting of rising out-of-pocket costs. But there's an even more effective way to leverage employer-provided benefit allowances: employers are starting to adopt Health Reimbursement Arrangements paired with a high-deductible health plan, known as a Post-Deductible HRA.

How the Post-Deductible HRA works

This approach effectively resets the annual deductible to $1,500 from a very high out-of-pocket maximum of $7,500 for individual coverage, bridging the large gap. All claims exceeding $1,500 are paid from a $6,000 employer-funded HRA (that allowance is a suggestion and varies by organization). The same formula can apply to dependents: a $15,000 family deductible reset to $3,000, with $12,000 from the HRA.

Why it pairs so well with EZaccessMD

EZaccessMD's model significantly reduces unnecessary, costly trips to the ER and in-person urgent care. Combining the Post-Deductible HRA with EZaccessMD as the triage point packs a powerful punch: members are less likely to exceed their deductible and tap the HRA funds set aside.

Historically, HRA penetration has run about 40% of reserved funds. With EZaccessMD embedded in the plan and mitigating claims in the deductible space, we expect 20% or less. One of EZaccessMD's Post-Deductible HRA clients went from 37% HRA penetration to just 11% after implementing this arrangement.

For a fraction of the potential HRA exposure, they gave employees a rich combination: in-home healthcare combined with a no-copay medical plan. EZ's clients pay an average of $144 a year per employee, a wise investment when it's baked into plans to leverage the employer spend. The result is a gold-plated plan for employees at a very modest cost to the employer.

What about FSAs?

Health Flexible Spending Accounts can also be offered alongside the Post-Deductible HRA, adding even more options. And if this sounds confusing for employees, remember: the Post-Deductible HRA is invisible to them. It's handled in the background by your TPA. Employees just see that their employer now offers a much richer plan without any additional employee contribution.

The bottom line

A Post-Deductible HRA used with EZaccessMD's mobile urgent care service increases consumerism and creates balance between claims utilization, out-of-pocket responsibility, and employer funding in a well-designed health plan. Healthcare becomes more affordable and accessible, and employees see a workplace that offers generous benefits.