Health Reimbursement Arrangements

A Health Reimbursement Arrangement, known as an HRA, is part of a new generation of health insurance plans called consumer-directed health plans (CDHP’s). CDHP’s are designed to help individuals be more involved in their healthcare decisions, and to provide an account to save for qualified medical health expenses.

Components of MercyHRA
How it Works
Eligible Expenses
Know What's Important to You

A MercyHRA plan has three components: 

Medical Plan

• Provides health benefits with an annual out-of-pocket maximum.
• Access to our extensive provider network.
• Lower out-of-pocket expenses when you use network physicians and healthcare professionals.
• Provides preventive care coverage at 100% for certain services.
• Lower monthly premiums allow you to save money towards paying your deductible.

Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)

• Funds in your HRA can be used to pay for eligible medical expenses as determined by your employer.
• Funds are provided solely by your employer.
• Money in the account is yours as long as your remain with the company and in the HRA plan.
• Funds in the account may roll over from one year to the next as determined by your employer and for as long as you remain in the HRA plan.

Health Information

Use our site for secure access to health information to help you manage your health and be a savvier purchaser of healthcare services.

• Search for physicians and other healthcare professionals
• Research health conditions
• View summary of benefits
• Track your claims status
• Request insurance identification cards
• Use health calculators and other health-related tools

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How your MercyHRA works  

First: : Use your HRA to pay for your health expenses.

Use the funds your employer contributes to your health reimbursement account (HRA) to pay for eligible medical expenses, including your deductible, copayments, prescriptions, and other healthcare costs. Any money you don’t spend during the plan year may carry over to the next year for future expenses.

Second: Meet your annual deductible

MercyHRA^TM has an annual deductible. Funds put into your HRA by your employer can help pay your annual deductible. If the money in your HRA is less than the deductible, you pay the remaining dollars out of pocket. Copayments and coinsurance for medical services apply toward your deductible. Prescription copayments do not apply to the deductible. Once you meet your deductible, health plan benefits begin. The exception is in your preventive care, which may be covered at 100% even if you have not reached your deductible (see your summary of benefits for details). After you reach your deductible you maybe required to pay copayments or coinsurance (a portion of the medical expense).

Third: Pay copayments/coinsurance.

After you meet your deductible, your health plan benefits begin. At this point, you will share expenses with Mercy Health Plans in the form of coinsurance (cost-sharing) and copayments. If you have enough money in your HRA, you may use those funds for your coinsurance and copayments. You will continue sharing expenses until you have reached your out-of-pocket maximum limit (see your summary of benefits for details). When you reach that limit, all services will be covered at 100%.

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Eligible Expenses 

The money in your HRA must be used for qualified medical expenses or health insurance premiums as defined by the Internal Revenue Service and determined your employer. Some ways you can spend the money in your account may include:

• doctor’s office visits, annual physicals and prescriptions
• copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles
• preventive dental care, orthodontia, and vision services
• chiropractic services, acupuncture, etc.

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Know what's important to you 

One of the first steps to becoming a smarter healthcare consumer is choosing the right benefit plan for you and your family. Consumer-directed health plans’ options such as MercyHRA^TM give you the opportunity to become a more active participant in your health and healthcare services. It can also provide a means to have funds for future healthcare expenses.

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