WASHINGTON - According to health care law information services provider CCH Incorporated, the comments are all in and the IRS plans to issue final employer-sponsored HSA comparability regulations by the end of July.

In 2005, the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed regulations on comparability requirements. Under a comparability rule, employers must provide the same percentage of deductible or dollar amount to each employee's HSA, within self-only or family coverage. Employees can further be grouped as current full-time, current part-time and past employees.

Kevin Knopf, Attorney-Advisor, Treasury Office of Tax Policy, and Russell Weinheimer, Chief Counsel of IRS Tax-Exempt and Government Entities made the announcement during a presentation to the Federal Bar Association Insurance Tax Seminar.

In the CCH article Knopf reported that the Treasury is also reviewing its guidance priority plan for next year, and is expected to provide another general notice on HSAs, including a general overview, Q&As and examples.

HSAs are tax-free savings accounts that can be used to pay for medical expenses including prescription and over the counter drugs incurred by individuals, spouses or dependents. These accounts are accompanied by high-deductible comprehensive insurance policies that cover preventive care and larger medical bills. Unused HSA money rolls over from year to year and can then be used to pay for medical care up to the plan's deductible.