HR-1 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Reinstates Telemedicine Pre-Deductible Consultation Fee Waivers

The current Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR-1), commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, was signed into law on July 4 and includes a provision that positively impacts employer-sponsored health plans.

This provision makes permanent the ability for the NRECA Medical Plan and other employer-sponsored health care plans that are intending to be qualified high-deductible health plans for purposes of making contributions to a health savings account (HSA) to cover the cost of telehealth consultations and certain other remote services before a patient’s insurance deductible is fully satisfied. In doing so, this provision also allows plans to remain qualified as HSA-eligible high-deductible health plans.

NRECA is currently evaluating the most efficient way to implement these new rules to ensure the least amount of disruption to member cooperatives and NRECA Medical Plan participants.

This provision, which NRECA has been actively advocating to make permanent since 2020, benefits nearly 70% of co-op employees and their dependents covered under the NRECA Medical Plan.

NRECA will issue additional information to its member co-ops when we have additional information on the implementation of this provision, including when our systems have been updated to enable the cost share waivers permitted by the new law.