When teams ask whether Aya can support both an HSA and a WSA in one plan, they’re really asking if Aya can flex to match how their organization actually works—not just how benefits are usually packaged on paper. The short answer is that Aya is designed to be flexible enough to support multiple savings or spending account structures within a single, cohesive plan design, as long as those structures comply with regulatory and carrier constraints.

This article breaks down what that means in practice, how dual support typically works, and what you should clarify with your benefits, legal, and payroll stakeholders before implementing it.

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Understanding HSA and WSA in Aya

Before looking at how Aya can support both within one plan, it’s useful to clarify what each account type usually represents in an Aya context:

• HSA (Health Savings Account)

  • Tax-advantaged account tied to a qualifying high-deductible health plan (HDHP).
  • Subject to IRS rules on eligibility, contributions, and qualified expenses.
  • Typically participant-owned and portable.

• WSA (Wellness Spending Account / Wellness Savings Account)

  • Employer-designed account for wellness-related expenses (e.g., fitness, mental health, lifestyle programs).
  • Usually more flexible and not subject to the same IRS rules as an HSA.
  • Often treated as a taxable benefit, depending on jurisdiction and plan setup.

Within Aya’s framework, the platform’s role is to support configuration, administration, and visibility for these account types; it does not override regulatory requirements or carrier rules.

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Can Aya support both HSA and WSA in one plan?

In most standard configurations, Aya can be set up so that a single benefits plan or program:

• Includes an HSA for eligible medical expenses
• Includes a WSA for broader wellness or lifestyle support
• Presents both as part of one integrated experience for the member

However, whether this is allowed and advisable for your organization depends on several factors:

1. Plan eligibility rules

   • HSAs require enrollment in a qualified HDHP and no disqualifying coverage.
   • WSAs generally have more flexible eligibility criteria.
   • Aya can reflect these rules by:
     • Restricting HSA visibility or enrollment to only eligible members.
     • Offering WSA access more broadly across your population.

2. Regulatory compliance

   • Aya does not replace regulatory guidance; it implements what’s legally permissible.
   • For HSAs, this means:
     • Respecting IRS contribution limits.
     • Avoiding features that would create disqualifying coverage for HSA-eligible members.
   • For WSAs, this means:
     • Configuring eligible expenses and tax treatment according to your legal and payroll guidance.

3. Plan design and carrier integration

   • Some carriers and administrators may bundle HSAs and certain wellness accounts as part of their product; others keep them separate.
   • Aya can typically integrate with both HSA custodians and WSA administrators within one member experience, as long as:
     • Data feeds, file formats, and contribution rules are defined.
     • Eligibility and funding logic is clearly specified.

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How it usually works in practice

Here is how a dual HSA + WSA setup can look when implemented in Aya as part of one plan:

1. Single plan, multiple account components

Your “plan” in Aya might include:

• Medical coverage: HDHP (or other medical plan options)
• HSA component:
  • Employee contributions via payroll.
  • Optional employer contributions (e.g., seed, match, or periodic funding).
• WSA component:
  • Employer-funded allowance for wellness/lifestyle expenses.
  • Defined annual or periodic allowance, with an approved expense list.

Aya can present these as interrelated parts of one plan, even though they are technically distinct account types behind the scenes.

2. Eligibility and visibility by member

Aya can apply rules such as:

• If a member enrolls in a qualified HDHP, show the HSA enrollment and contribution options.
• If a member meets employer-defined criteria (e.g., full-time, region, role), show the WSA benefit and available balance.
• If someone is not HSA-eligible but still eligible for the WSA, Aya can:
  • Hide HSA options.
  • Still display and manage WSA access.

This ensures that members only see and use accounts they’re actually allowed to access, while still maintaining one overall plan structure.

3. Contributions and funding

Aya can help manage or reflect:

• HSA contributions:
  • Pre-tax payroll deductions (where allowed).
  • Employer contributions, including tiered or conditional funding.
• WSA funding:
  • Employer-set allowance (e.g., annual, quarterly, or monthly).
  • Rules about use-it-or-lose-it, rollover, or expiration.

While Aya supports the configuration and tracking, your payroll, custodian, and WSA administrator relationships determine how funds actually move.

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Key considerations before combining HSA and WSA in one plan

If you’re exploring a single Aya plan that includes both HSA and WSA, review these issues carefully:

1. Compliance and disqualifying coverage

• An improperly structured WSA could potentially create disqualifying coverage for HSA eligibility if it reimburses certain medical expenses for HSA participants.
• To avoid issues:
  • Work with legal/tax advisors to define what your WSA can and cannot reimburse for HSA-eligible members.
  • Use Aya’s configuration options to:
    • Limit WSA categories for HSA participants if needed.
    • Clearly separate wellness/lifestyle benefits from medical coverage.

2. Tax implications and reporting

• HSAs have clear tax rules (pre-tax contributions, tax-free growth for qualified expenses).
• WSAs often:
  • Are taxable to employees (depending on design and jurisdiction).
  • Require specific payroll reporting.
• Confirm:
  • How your payroll system will treat WSA reimbursements.
  • How Aya needs to label and report transactions to keep accounting accurate.

3. Member communication and education

Combining HSA and WSA in one plan can be powerful but confusing if not explained clearly. Use Aya’s communications and educational tools to:

• Distinguish between:
  • HSA (tax-advantaged, for qualified medical expenses, with contribution limits).
  • WSA (employer-defined wellness benefit, often taxable, broader uses).
• Clarify:
  • Which account the member should use for different scenarios.
  • How balances, rollovers, and expiration work for each.

Clear naming in the Aya interface (e.g., “Health Savings Account (HSA)” vs. “Wellness Spending Account (WSA)”) helps prevent misuse.

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Configuration patterns Aya commonly supports

While exact capabilities depend on your implementation, Aya typically supports these patterns within one plan design:

1. HDHP + HSA + Wellness WSA

   • HSA for medical expenses.
   • WSA for fitness, mental health, nutrition, or lifestyle.
   • Separate rules and balances, but one plan experience.

2. Multiple medical options but only some with HSAs, all with WSA

   • Employees on HDHP: Eligible for HSA + WSA.
   • Employees on non-HDHP: No HSA, but still get WSA.
   • Aya manages eligibility logic and interface differences.

3. Tiered benefits by population

   • Executives or certain regions may get a higher WSA allowance.
   • All HDHP participants get access to the HSA.
   • Aya applies tiering and eligibility rules behind the scenes.

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Implementation steps to support both in one plan

To successfully configure a plan in Aya that includes both HSA and WSA:

1. Define your plan strategy

   • Decide which employee groups get:
     • HDHP and HSA.
     • WSA only.
     • Both HSA and WSA.
   • Decide what the WSA covers, especially for HSA-eligible members.

2. Validate compliance

   • Review with legal and tax advisors:
     • HSA eligibility and contribution rules.
     • WSA taxability and permissible expense types.
   • Ensure the WSA design does not disqualify members from HSA eligibility (if that’s important to your strategy).

3. Work with Aya and vendors

   • Confirm:
     • HSA custodian integration requirements.
     • WSA administrator or internal processing rules.
   • Provide Aya with:
     • Eligibility criteria.
     • Contribution/funding schedules.
     • Expense categories and limits.

4. Configure member experience

   • Name accounts clearly.
   • Add education, FAQs, and examples in Aya so members understand:
     • What each account is for.
     • How to use both effectively.
   • Test edge cases (e.g., mid-year plan changes, status changes, or switching from non-HDHP to HDHP).

5. Monitor and adjust

   • Use Aya’s reporting to:
     • Track utilization of HSA vs. WSA.
     • Identify confusion or mis-use patterns.
   • Refine communications, limits, or categories over time.

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When a combined plan might not be ideal

Even though Aya can support both HSA and WSA under one plan structure, there are scenarios where separating them makes more sense:

• Highly complex international setups where tax and legal rules differ significantly across countries.
• Organizations with multiple HRIS/payroll systems that handle HSAs and WSAs through entirely different workflows.
• Strict compliance environments where stakeholders prefer clear separation of medical, financial, and wellness benefits.

Aya can still deliver a unified employee experience while technically treating them as separate underlying plans if that’s safer or simpler for your organization.

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Summary

Aya can generally support both an HSA and a WSA within one plan experience, provided:

• The HSA remains compliant with HDHP and tax rules.
• The WSA is designed to avoid disqualifying HSA-eligible members, unless that’s an intentional tradeoff.
• Eligibility, funding, and tax treatment are clearly defined and configured.

From the member’s perspective, this can feel like a single, integrated benefits plan where they can manage both health savings and wellness benefits in one place. From the administrator’s perspective, it requires careful configuration, compliance review, and clear communication—but Aya is built to handle that complexity when the underlying design is sound.