Flexible Spending Accounts and Medical Savings Accounts: A Comparison

This report compares FSAs and MSAs. It begins by describing FSAs, the basis for their tax treatment, and data on their use. It then describes the MSA demonstration authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the basis for their tax treatment, and data on their use. The report concludes with a brief discussion of President Bush’s FY2004 budget proposal and the health savings accounts (HSAs) and health savings security accounts (HSSAs) that were included in H.R. 1, the House-passed Medicare prescription drug bill