Frequently Asked Questions

An HSA allows employers to allocate tax-free funds for employee medical expenses. Employees pay out-of-pocket, submit claims, and receive tax-free reimbursements. Employers deduct these costs as business expenses, reducing taxable income while providing flexible benefits.

An HSA works by reducing the amount you pay in taxes for eligible medical expenses. For example, an individual who makes $120,000 per year in Alberta would have to earn $6,955 in pre-tax income in order to cover $5,000 in medical expenses. Even when factoring in our administrative costs, by using Frontier HSA you would save $1,409 or 20% of your pre-tax dollars. To see how much you would save, please use our Tax Savings Calculator.

The process is straightforward: 1. the employer sets an annual spending limit for each class of employee; 2. employees pay for eligible medical expenses upfront using their personal accounts; 3. employees submit their claims to Frontier HSA through our web browser or easy-to-use mobile app; 4. the employer transfers payment for employee claims to Frontier HSA from their corporate account; 5. Frontier HSA reimburses the employee for their claim.

You are eligible to start an HSA for yourself if you: 1. own an Incorporated Business; 2. receive T4 income from your business. You are eligible to start an HSA for your employees if you: 1. own an Incorporated Business; 2. have one or more arms length employees.

HSAs offer several key advantages over traditional insurance. For example, an HSA is: Predictable: Traditional insurance premiums are always rising, with an HSA, you won't encounter unexpected increases to your annual premiums. Transparent: Our pricing model is clear and easy to understand, with an HSA, you won't deal with hidden caps, deductibles, or co-insurance. Flexible: Get the coverage that suits your needs, with an HSA, employees have the freedom to choose how to spend their allocated funds on eligible medical expenses. Cost-Effective: Pay only for the coverage you actually use, an HSA is often more cost-effective for small businesses compared to traditional insurance since employer contributions are 100% tax-deductible, and employee claims are 100% tax-free outside of Ontario. Simple: Setting up an HSA takes just minutes and is easy to manage!

Yes, contributions made by employers to Health Spending Accounts (HSAs) are 100% tax-deductible business expenses in Canada. Additionally, with the exception of Ontario, all claim submissions by employees are 100% tax-free.

In 2024, preliminary estimates suggest the average payment for public health care insurance ranges from $4,908 to $17,713 for Canadian families (Fraser Institute, 2024). In addition to this, the average Canadian Household spends an average of $2,776 on out-of-pocket healthcare expenses (Statistics Canada). With an HSA you pay only for the medical expenses you need.

Yes, an HSA covers medical expenses for your spouse (legal spouse or common law partner), children (natural, step-children or adopted children), and any dependents living within your household.

An HSA covers a wide range of medical expenses including prescription drugs, dental, vision care, chiropractic care, physiotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, mental health services, and medical equipment. For more information on eligible medical expenses, please visit the CRA website .

An HSA does not cover purely cosmetic procedures, over-the-counter medications without a prescription, and general wellness items, such as gym memberships. For more information on eligible medical expenses, please visit the CRA website .

Yes, if you or your spouse have traditional health insurance, we recommend submitting claims to your provider first so that any out of pocket fees, co-pay amounts or any other fees that are not covered can be paid for through Frontier HSA. When submitting a claim for an expense that has been partially covered by traditional insurance, only submit the part of the claim that was not covered to Frontier HSA with the original receipt.

The employer will need to establish an annual limit for each class of employee included in the Plan. In order to ensure the HSA remains CRA-compliant, Frontier HSA has established certain restrictions on these limits. For example, the Frontier HSA contribution limit cannot exceed $15,000 per employee and the highest contribution limit within the organization should not exceed the lowest account limit by a factor of 10X.

Any unused contribution room in your HSA will be rolled over for one additional plan year. For example, if you have an annual limit of $10,000 in 2024 but only spend $9,000, the unused amount will be rolled over, making your annual limit in 2025 $11,000. Unused contribution room can only be rolled for one year after which any unused contribution room will the forfeited.

HSA expenses are classified as Employee Benefit Tax Deductions on your corporate tax return.