HSA plan vs regular plan: what changed in 2026
Since 1 January 2026, every bronze and catastrophic marketplace plan counts as HSA-compatible. We checked 4,044 marketplace plans. Of the 1,416 that work with an HSA, 1,249 qualify only because of that new rule. Outside bronze and catastrophic, just 41 plans work with an HSA.
The short version
A health savings account, or HSA, lets you put money aside for medical bills without paying tax on it.
You can only pay into one if your health plan is HSA-compatible. For years, that meant a plan had to meet a strict federal test.
In 2026 the rule changed. Now every bronze and catastrophic marketplace plan counts, even ones that fail the old test.
What changed on 1 January 2026
The IRS explains the change in its guidance on the new law:
"As of Jan. 1, 2026, bronze and catastrophic plans available through an Exchange are considered HSA-compatible …"
The same guidance says this applies "regardless of whether the plans satisfy the general definition" of a high-deductible plan.
So a bronze plan no longer has to pass the old test. It is HSA-compatible because it is bronze.
The old test, which still applies to other plans
Silver, gold and platinum plans still have to pass the standard test.
For 2026, IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-19 sets the limits for a high-deductible health plan.
| 2026 limit | Self-only | Family |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deductible | $1,700 | $3,400 |
| Maximum out-of-pocket | $8,500 | $17,000 |
| Most you can put in an HSA | $4,400 | $8,750 |
A silver or gold plan must have a deductible at least that high. Its out-of-pocket maximum must also stay at or under that cap.
What we checked
We used the 2026 federal marketplace plan files for the 30 states that use HealthCare.gov.
We took the standard on-exchange version of each plan, which gave us 4,044 plans. We compared the ones marked HSA-eligible against the ones that are not.
Premiums are the median monthly premium for a 40-year-old, taken from each plan's rates across the rating areas where it is sold.
How many plans work with an HSA
| Metal level | Plans | HSA-eligible | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expanded Bronze | 1,156 | 1,156 | 100% |
| Bronze | 144 | 144 | 100% |
| Catastrophic | 75 | 75 | 100% |
| Silver | 1,453 | 29 | 2.00% |
| Gold | 1,172 | 12 | 1.02% |
| Platinum | 44 | 0 | 0% |
| All plans | 4,044 | 1,416 | 35.01% |
Every bronze and catastrophic plan is HSA-eligible. That matches the new rule.
Above bronze, HSA plans are rare. Only 41 of 2,669 silver, gold and platinum plans work with an HSA.
Most HSA plans qualify only under the new rule
This is the finding that surprised us.
We ran every HSA-eligible plan through the old test. Most of them fail it.
| Metal level | HSA-eligible | Pass the old test | Eligible only under the 2026 rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expanded Bronze | 1,156 | 126 | 1,030 |
| Bronze | 144 | 0 | 144 |
| Catastrophic | 75 | 0 | 75 |
| Silver | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| Gold | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| Total | 1,416 | 167 | 1,249 |
That is 1,249 of 1,416, or 88.21%. Every one of them fails for the same reason. Its out-of-pocket maximum is above the $8,500 cap.
Without the new rule, most of today's HSA plans would not be HSA plans at all.
HSA plan vs regular plan, side by side
Here is how the two groups compare at each metal level where both exist.
| Plan group | Plans | Median deductible | Median out-of-pocket max | Median premium, age 40 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver, HSA-eligible | 29 | $5,500 | $6,000 | $753.76 |
| Silver, regular | 1,424 | $6,000 | $8,900 | $721.85 |
| Gold, HSA-eligible | 12 | $3,400 | $4,400 | $722.90 |
| Gold, regular | 1,160 | $2,000 | $8,200 | $741.27 |
The HSA silver and gold plans have much lower out-of-pocket caps. That is because the old test forces them under $8,500.
Premiums do not follow one pattern. The median HSA silver plan costs $31.91 more a month than the median regular silver plan. The median HSA gold plan costs $18.37 less than the median regular gold plan.
These are small groups. Twelve plans is not enough to draw a rule from.
Bronze and catastrophic plans
These groups are all HSA-eligible, so there is no regular plan to compare against. Here is what they look like.
| Plan group | Plans | Median deductible | Median out-of-pocket max | Median premium, age 40 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expanded Bronze | 1,156 | $7,500 | $10,000 | $537.74 |
| Bronze | 144 | $10,600 | $10,600 | $519.11 |
| Catastrophic | 75 | $10,600 | $10,600 | $490.82 |
Bronze and catastrophic plans cost less each month. They make you pay much more before coverage starts.
Why this matters when you choose
An HSA has real tax value. Money goes in before tax, grows tax-free, and comes out tax-free for medical costs.
But the account does not change what the plan covers. A bronze plan with a $10,600 deductible still leaves you with that deductible.
So the HSA is a reason to prefer one plan over a similar plan. It is not a reason to pick a plan you could not afford to use.
Who a bronze HSA plan can suit
A bronze HSA plan tends to fit people who expect few medical bills. It also suits people who can put money into the account.
It is harder to justify if you expect regular care. It is also a poor fit if you could not cover the deductible in a bad year.
If you qualify for cost-sharing reductions, check silver first. Those reductions only apply to silver plans. Our post on bronze vs silver with cost-sharing reductions shows how large they can be.
How to check a plan yourself
Check the plan's own details or its summary of benefits for its HSA status.
For silver or gold, check the flag rather than assuming. Only 41 of these plans in our data carry it.
For bronze or catastrophic in 2026, the plan is HSA-compatible under the new rule. You still need to meet the other HSA eligibility conditions in IRS rules.
What this does not tell you
We want to be plain about the limits.
Our data covers the 30 states on HealthCare.gov. States that run their own marketplace are not included.
We report the HSA flag as the plan files state it. We did not audit each plan's documents.
And we are not tax advisers. Whether an HSA makes sense for you depends on your own tax situation.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure in this post comes from our own database, queried live on the day of publication.
- Plans: 4,044 plans from the 2026 federal marketplace plan files, standard on-exchange version only, 30 HealthCare.gov states
- HSA status: the HSA-eligible flag in those files
- Old test: deductible at least $1,700 and out-of-pocket maximum at most $8,500, self-only, per IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-19
- Premiums: median of each plan's age-40 monthly premium across its rating areas, then the median across plans
The 2026 rule is cited to the IRS guidance on the new HSA provisions. The limits are cited to IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-19.
Questions people ask
Are all bronze plans HSA-eligible in 2026?
Yes, for bronze and catastrophic plans. Since 1 January 2026, the IRS treats them as HSA-compatible even if they fail the usual test. All 1,375 bronze and catastrophic plans in our data carry the HSA flag.
How many marketplace plans work with an HSA?
In our data, 1,416 of 4,044 plans are HSA-eligible. That is 35.01%. Almost all of them are bronze or catastrophic plans.
Can a silver or gold plan work with an HSA?
Yes, but it is rare. It must pass the standard test. Only 29 of 1,453 silver plans and 12 of 1,172 gold plans in our data qualify. No platinum plan does.
How many HSA plans would fail the old test?
1,249 of the 1,416 HSA-eligible plans fail it. That is 88.21%. All of them fail because their out-of-pocket maximum is above the $8,500 cap.
What is the HSA contribution limit for 2026?
$4,400 for self-only coverage and $8,750 for family coverage, according to IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-19.
Is an HSA plan cheaper than a regular plan?
Not reliably. The median HSA silver plan costs more than the median regular silver plan. The median HSA gold plan costs less. Bronze plans cost less than both, but carry much higher deductibles.
Do catastrophic plans work with an HSA now?
Yes. Catastrophic plans are included in the 2026 rule alongside bronze plans. All 75 catastrophic plans in our data carry the HSA flag.
Does an HSA change what my plan covers?
No. The account helps you pay costs with untaxed money. It does not lower your deductible or change your benefits.