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High-Deductible Plans Can Cover COVID-19 Treatment, IRS Says

By Theresa Schliep · 2020-03-11 18:40:25 -0400

High-deductible health plans can provide coverage for testing and treatment related to COVID-19 before participants meet minimum deductibles without risking their status under federal tax law, the Internal Revenue Service said Wednesday.

Plans will continue to qualify under Internal Revenue Code Section 223(c)(2)(A)  as high-deductible health plans if they cover testing or treatment for the novel coronavirus before plan participants meet the minimum deductible amount, the IRS said in a notice. The response to the public health emergency requires removing financial and administrative barriers that might otherwise discourage detection and treatment of the virus, the IRS said.

The IRS also said that vaccinations are treated as preventative care under the statute, and the notice applies only to high-deductible health plans that let participants make tax-advantaged contributions to health savings accounts. The agency advised that people should contact their plan provider for more specific information on coverage and costs.

--Editing by Neil Cohen.

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