If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA), a Health FSA, or a Dependent Care FSA, 2026 brings some of the most useful changes in years — bigger contribution limits, an expanded list of preventive care that counts as HSA-eligible, and new IRS guidance that opens up more room to use pre-tax dollars on exactly the kind of preventive ultrasound screening we do every day.
Here’s what’s new, why it matters, and how to make sure your UltraVision Imaging visit qualifies.
What’s Actually New This Year
The IRS raised HSA and FSA contribution limits for 2026:
- HSA (self-only coverage): $4,400 — up $100 from 2025
- HSA (family coverage): $8,750 — up $200 from 2025
- HSA catch-up contribution (age 55+): an additional $1,000, unchanged
- Health FSA: $3,400, with up to $680 allowed to carry over into 2027
- Dependent Care FSA: $7,500 — more than double the old $5,000 cap, made permanent by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
On top of the higher limits, IRS Notice 2024-75 expanded what counts as preventive care under a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). The notice specifically clarifies that mammograms, breast MRIs, and breast ultrasounds — for anyone who hasn’t been diagnosed with breast cancer — can be treated as preventive care. That means an HDHP can cover this kind of screening before you’ve met your deductible, and you can pay for it with HSA or FSA dollars without jeopardizing your HSA eligibility.
Why Your Cash-Pay Bundle Qualifies
Because UltraVision Imaging’s screening bundles are built around recognized preventive and diagnostic ultrasound — breast, vascular, thyroid, abdominal, and more — they typically qualify as a “qualified medical expense” under IRC Section 213(d), the same standard the IRS uses to decide what an HSA or FSA can pay for.
That means the ultrasound you’ve been putting off — a carotid screening because of family history, a breast ultrasound because your provider flagged dense tissue, a thyroid check because something felt off — can often be paid for entirely with money you’ve already set aside pre-tax.
Documentation You’ll Want to Keep
To stay audit-proof, hang on to:
- An itemized receipt from UltraVision Imaging showing the date, service, and amount paid
- Your HSA or FSA administrator’s reimbursement confirmation, if you paid out of pocket and requested reimbursement
- Any explanation of benefits (EOB) if the scan was billed through insurance
- A short note from your physician if your plan asks for medical necessity — something as simple as “preventive ultrasound screening recommended due to family history” is usually enough to close the loop
Keeping these together — a folder, a scanned copy, whatever’s easiest — means if your HSA or FSA administrator, or the IRS, ever asks, you have your answer ready in seconds.
Timing: The December Crunch
If you have a Health FSA, remember it isn’t a savings account. Most plans are still “use it or lose it” beyond the $680 carryover, and this year’s funds need to be spent — or scheduled — before your plan year closes. Waiting until the last week of December to book a screening is how a lot of FSA dollars quietly expire every year.
Your HSA doesn’t have that deadline — the money is yours indefinitely — but booking earlier in the year still means faster answers and less scrambling around the holidays.
A quick checklist before the year ends:
- Check your remaining FSA balance
- Confirm whether your plan carries over $680 or expires entirely
- Book any preventive screening you’ve been putting off
- Save your itemized receipt
If you’re not sure what your HSA or FSA will cover, or want us to itemize a receipt a certain way for your administrator, just ask — we’re happy to help you use the benefits you’re already paying for.
Ready to use your HSA or FSA dollars before they expire? Book your preventive ultrasound screening online or call or text (916) 751-1944 — most appointments are available within the week.
This is general information, not tax advice. Contribution limits and eligibility rules can vary by plan — check with your HSA/FSA administrator or tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.