When comparing two different CareFirst plans, they are almost exactly the same (deductible, coverages, etc) however for "HSA" one of the plan says not eligible while the other says eligible. I have seen this with other insurance companies as well.
Does anyone know why this is? Is this because the plans marked as HSAs have the "kickback"/profit sharing from the HSA provider included in the premium amount.
HSA HDHP health plans must meet certain requirements like:
Max $5950 our of pocket maximum for an invdividual
No copays for doctor visits or Rx (except preventative care) - Instead, you pay the network discounted rate instead, that goes towards the deductible
More details can be found in the IRS publication 969
There's a reason, you just need to look for it.
It could be that the Non HSA plan, is one of many deductibles options in that "suite" of products, with some of the deductibles above the maximum allowed, therefore the whole product suite is Non HSA eligible.
Typically, most every company, offers an HSA suite of products that adhere to all the requirements. There is no "kick back" involved. Price variation may be due to different benefit coverage (like no mental health).
Talk to a local agent.