HEALTH & WELLNESS BENEFITS IN CANADA
Insurance can leave eligible expenses unpaid. An HSA gives your team a flexible allowance to help cover that gap. Compare what each option pays for, the protection you need to keep, and the total cost to your business.
DIFFERENT TOOLS. A PLAN THAT FITS.
Insurance provides the protection in your policy. Spending accounts give employees an allowance to use across eligible expenses.
| What matters | Group health & dental insurance | Health Spending Account | Wellness Spending Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it pays for | Services covered by the policy, subject to its limits and exclusions. | Eligible medical, dental and vision expenses. | Wellness categories your company selects, such as fitness. |
| How you budget | Premiums for the coverage you select. | An employee allowance plus administration fees and taxes. | An employee allowance plus administration fees and taxes. |
| Employee choice | Within the policy’s categories and limits. | How to use their available balance across eligible healthcare. | How to use their available balance within your wellness categories. |
| Large or unexpected costs | May provide protection beyond an individual spending allowance, within policy terms. | Limited to the employee’s available allowance. | Limited to the employee’s available allowance. |
| Federal employee tax | Qualifying employer-paid health and dental benefits are non-taxable. | Benefits under a qualifying HSA are non-taxable. | A taxable employee benefit. |
Québec treats employer-paid private health plan coverage as a provincial taxable benefit. CRA guidance · Revenu Québec guidance · Understanding health insurance
WITH OR WITHOUT A GROUP PLAN
Bring your existing coverage and priorities. We’ll work through the spending-account options.
SPENDING ACCOUNT SAVINGS CALCULATOR
Compare your current insurance cost with an Aya spending account and any insurance you keep. Use the same employees and employer contribution in both scenarios.
Enter whole Canadian dollars. Use your renewal quote for the insurance you would keep; reducing this number changes the coverage being compared.
YOUR COMPANY’S NUMBERS
Enter your figures to see the annual funding, Aya fees and insurance cost together.
No email required. Your inputs stay in this tab unless you choose to carry them into a request.
YOUR YEAR-ONE COMPARISON
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Discuss these numbers with AyaReview your figures on the next page, then choose how to contact us.
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This compares employer budgets, not equivalent insurance coverage. A spending account pays eligible expenses up to the available allowance. Review coverage and employee needs before changing insurance.
Prepay: the full annual allowance is loaded, with a 7.5% load fee and one $10 new card per employee. Unused funds are not deducted from this year-one funding comparison; returns or carryover follow your plan terms. Administration fees are non-refundable.
PostPay: $10 per enrolled employee per month for 12 months, plus $0.75 per reimbursement EFT. Benefit reimbursements use the percentage you enter. Actual usage and transaction counts can differ.
Planning estimate, not a quote. Uses current direct new-account pricing; advisor and existing agreements may differ. Excludes sales and premium taxes, employee benefit taxes, employer payroll charges, advisor fees and other agreed charges. No tax savings are added. For different employee classes, compare each class separately.
Enable JavaScript to use the calculator. You can still compare the plans below and review Aya’s rates.
THE AYA PREPAID VISA CARD
Pay for eligible care with your funded Aya card at designated merchants that accept Visa, including internationally.
Available funds, eligible expenses, merchant restrictions and the cardholder agreement apply. Keep and upload your receipts. International card acceptance is separate from travel medical insurance.
EXECUTIVES & INCORPORATED BUSINESS OWNERS
Set HSA and WSA allocations for defined employee classes, including executives. Give people choice within their allowance, with a funded card for eligible care in Canada and abroad.
Use objective class criteria and consistent allocations within each class. Build the plan around the roles and needs of your team.
Explore plans for your teamA qualifying HSA lets your company pay eligible healthcare expenses as an employee benefit. Qualifying employer costs are deductible business expenses; eligible benefits are non-taxable federally.
Owner-managers who are employees of incorporated businesses can participate. The benefit must be provided in their capacity as an employee, with a properly structured plan.
Québec provincial tax treatment differs. Confirm your company’s eligibility and deductions with your accountant. Federal health-benefit tax treatment.
Both can qualify for favourable health-benefit tax treatment. Aya’s HSA adds flexible spending within an employer-set budget. A WSA expands the benefits you can offer, with taxable employee benefits.
PUTTING YOUR PLAN TO USE
No problem! Eligible expenses go to the primary group benefits plan first, then to a partner’s plan if applicable. Any unpaid portions can then be submitted to Aya’s HSA/WSA for comprehensive coverage.
Only the eligible unpaid amount can be claimed through Aya, within the employee’s available balance. Keep the other insurer’s claim statement.
Yes, an eligible corporation can use company funds to provide qualifying healthcare benefits to an owner-manager who is an employee. This pays eligible health expenses through an employment benefit; it is not an unrestricted tax-free withdrawal of retained earnings.
Benefits provided because you own shares can be taxable shareholder benefits and non-deductible to the company. See the CRA’s employee and shareholder distinction.
The rules differ. A sole proprietor with no arm’s-length employees does not qualify for an HSA deduction under the CRA’s stated guidance. Incorporated businesses, including eligible shareholder-employees, can participate. Read the CRA’s HSA guidance.
No. The calculator compares annual employer funding and fees before tax, using the insurance costs you enter. It shows a lower cost, a higher cost or no difference. Your accountant can assess the tax treatment of your actual plan.
YOUR PLAN STARTS HERE
Bring your renewal quote, employee count and benefit priorities. We’ll help you compare spending-account options and confirm your plan and pricing.
