The healthy intentions set for the new year have already come and gone for most of your employees. But as HR pros, you can reinvigorate or bolster health goals by educating employees about benefits that directly support their needs.
According to recent surveys, three in 10 Americans have set resolutions for 2026, with the most common goals focusing on increasing physical activity, losing weight, improving mental health, and saving more money. Those are ambitious goals, and the good news is that flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSAs) can support employees across these needs.
Bridging the Gaps with FSA- and HSA-eligible Telehealth
Telehealth has changed how employees think about and access care. Appointments that once required time off from work or a trip across town can now take place from the comfort of home, at all hours of the day. Telehealth also solves for situations where individuals may have limited access to local specialists in areas like fertility care, mental health, hormonal health, and dermatology.
In short, telehealth that is coupled with FSA and HSA funds can bridge the gaps in health coverage and provide essential financial support for employees.
Not only is telehealth a way to make every dollar of their FSA or HSA count, but it delivers convenience and quality care that employees with busy schedules need. It’s a modern, convenient approach to healthcare that fits into everyday life.
Educate Employees About Telehealth Eligibility
Everyone wants quality, convenience, and affordability when it comes to healthcare. The first step to helping employees realize all of these outcomes through the health benefits you offer is to educate them on how they can use their FSA and HSA funds. More specifically, these tax-free funds can be used for telehealth services that support those top employee health goals.
- Physical activity: Wearable health trackers can be eligible for purchase with FSA and HSA funds, allowing employees to track daily physiological data to better understand and manage their daily habits as part of their overall health goals. In addition to tracking data, employees can use these funds to purchase devices that alleviate muscle and joint pain that can prevent them from achieving their activity goals.
- Weight loss: Sometimes cutting calories doesn’t cut it when it comes to achieving a healthy weight. Fortunately, prescription GLP-1 weight loss medications–including options that do not require shots–can be purchased at the lowest price points with FSA and HSA funds when employees work with trained clinicians from telehealth companies. And while dietary supplements are not currently FSA/HSA eligible, certain products that support digestive health are.
- Mental health: Feeling better about and improving mental health is a goal for both HR pros and employees, but getting the right support and making time for work on this goal can be a roadblock to change. That’s why virtual telehealth services are important. Employees can use their tax-free funds to connect with licensed therapists through live sessions or online messaging, from the privacy of their homes, 24/7.
- Saving money: FSAs and HSAs are the ultimate tool for saving money on health care. Not only do employees reduce their taxable income when they enroll in and contribute to these accounts, but any withdrawals for eligible expenses are tax-free. This makes FSAs and HSAs not just a healthcare spending tool, but a practical and increasingly important financial planning tool. For example: For every $100 that is contributed, the account holder saves about $30 on taxes, giving them an extra $30 to use on healthcare needs.
Pro tip: If your organization offers an FSA with a March 15 FSA grace period extension, it’s time to educate employees about this deadline and how they can spend their remaining funds on clinical services, everyday products, and convenient, trusted telehealth services to avoid forfeiture. This is especially important if your FSA also features a rollover because employees may have more funds available than ever. So, encourage them to check their balance now to avoid last-minute, frantic spending.
Achieving long-term health goals is about making intentional choices and finding support systems that fit with an individual’s personal needs and lifestyle. Telehealth services make it easier for employees to invest in their health and meet their goals, which ultimately benefits employers by delivering a healthier workforce that is actively engaged in their employer-sponsored benefits programs. It’s a win-win for the new year.
Jenna Everhart is vice president of human resources for Health-E Commerce, parent brand to FSA Store, HSA Store, and Caring Mill.