HSA Shop logoHSA Shop

HSA Guide

What Happens If You Leave Your HSA in a High Deductible Health Plan?

Published July 2, 2024

Check eligibility on the gobrowse 7,000+ HSA-eligible products in the free app.

Get the app
Short answer: If you leave an HDHP, you can’t make new HSA contributions, but you can still use existing HSA funds for eligible medical expenses with penalty-free withdrawals and intact tax advantages.

Implications of leaving an HDHP

Leaving your Health Savings Account (HSA) in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) can have various implications on your account and healthcare. When you switch healthcare plans or leave a job with an HDHP, here is what happens to your HSA:

1. Loss of HSA Contributions: If you're no longer enrolled in an HDHP, you cannot make new contributions to your HSA.

2. Continued Use of HSA Funds: You can still use the existing funds in your HSA for eligible healthcare expenses even if you're not in an HDHP anymore.

3. Penalty-free Withdrawals: After leaving an HDHP, you can make penalty-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses.

Tax benefits and ongoing access explained

4. Rolling Over to a New HSA: You have the option to rollover your HSA to a new provider or continue managing it with the current custodian.

5. Maintaining Tax Benefits: As long as you use the funds for qualified medical expenses, the tax advantages of your HSA remain intact.

Leaving your HSA in an HDHP doesn't mean you lose access to your funds or the tax benefits. It's essential to understand the rules and options available to make informed decisions about your HSA.

When you leave your Health Savings Account (HSA) in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), it's important to fully understand the implications of your decision. While you won't be able to contribute any new funds to your HSA if you're no longer enrolled in the plan, the good news is you can still tap into the funds you've accrued for qualified medical expenses. This means you're essentially preserving a valuable financial resource for future healthcare needs.

Free App

Browse 7,000+ HSA-Eligible Products

Search by symptom, get price alerts, and build your HSA shopping list — all in the free app.

← Back to all articles