Starting in January 2026, there’s a big change coming: you’ll finally be able to use your HSA funds to pay for Direct Primary Care (DPC) fees when you’re on a High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). I know, that’s a mouthful of acronyms. So, let’s slow down and make sense of it.
Direct Primary Care is one of the most exciting shifts we’ve seen in healthcare over the past few years. Instead of paying every time you walk through the doctor’s office door, you pay a simple subscription fee. In return, you get more personal access to your provider—often including same-day or next-day appointments, help with chronic conditions, basic prescriptions, and sometimes even small procedures. It’s like having a doctor on speed dial, without the surprise bills. Many DPC practices even offer group discounts, which is why I’ve become a fan—if they’re used wisely. DPC is fantastic for everyday check-ups and routine care, but it doesn’t replace the big stuff like hospital visits or emergency care.
That’s where a High-Deductible Health Plan comes in. An HDHP is essentially your safety net for those “oh no” moments — surgery, emergencies, or a major illness. The premiums are lower, which helps, but you do pay more out of pocket up front. That’s why HDHPs are designed to be paired with something even more powerful: a Health Savings Account.
Now, if you don’t already love HSAs, you should. They’re one of the best-kept secrets in healthcare benefits. Here’s why: the money you put in is tax-deductible, it grows tax-free, and when you take it out for medical expenses, you don’t pay taxes on it. That’s a triple tax advantage you don’t find anywhere else. You can use it for ibuprofen, prescriptions, surgeries…you name it. And if you don’t use the money, it just rolls over and grows year after year. Once you hit 65, you can even treat it like a retirement account. Employers can contribute to HSAs, or you can set one up yourself at a bank or financial institution.
Here’s the part that makes this change so exciting: until now, you couldn’t use HSA dollars to pay for DPC subscription fees. That meant you could swipe your HSA card for prescriptions, labs, or even surgery, but not for the subscription that gave you easier access to all of that. Starting in 2026, that wall comes down. DPC fees will finally be HSA-eligible.
What does that mean for you? Flexibility. You get the personal relationship-based care of DPC, the protection of an HDHP for the big stuff, and the tax advantages of an HSA to help cover it all. It’s a package that makes a lot of sense, whether you’re an employee looking to stretch your healthcare dollars or an employer trying to build a smarter benefits strategy.
Bottom line: when DPC, HDHP, and HSA all work together, you get healthcare that’s more personal, more affordable, and a whole lot more practical.
Want to dig deeper? A great place to start is by scheduling a quick call with Jim Grover, Group Health Advisor.
Schedule HERE