A health reimbursement arrangement, or HRA, is a benefit plan you can offer to your employees to reimburse them for medical expenses that are not covered by an insurance plan. HRAs offer tax benefits, including the deductibility of contributions you make to your employees’ accounts. Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) took effect, if you employed 50 or fewer workers, your ability to provide HRAs to your employees may have been limited. However, a law passed in December 2016 created a new type of HRA that you can offer if you do not provide group health insurance.
The 21st Century Cures Act allows “stand-alone” HRAs if the accounts meet funding and other requirements. These new HRAs allow you to help your employees pay for medical costs, such as the reimbursement of premiums for policies purchased on the healthcare exchange. In addition, the Act extends relief from the $100 per day penalty for prior arrangements that did not meet Affordable Care Act rules.