Now Zest Membership Qualifies for Pre-Tax Dollars – What Could Be Better?

A HUGE win for families!

Thanks to the recently passed Primary Care Enhancement Act, starting January 1, 2026, families will be able to pay for Zest Pediatrics membership using tax-free dollars from Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). That’s right—your monthly membership fee for personalized, relationship-based pediatric care can now be HSA-eligible, saving you hundreds of dollars a year!

While the HSA administrators already allowed this for many Zest families, adding direct primary care to employer benefit options eliminates any uncertainty and makes this benefit  universal. 

 What Changed?

For years, families with HSAs, somewhat arbitrarily, may not have been allowed to use their funds for Direct Primary Care memberships like Zest. The recent federal law fixes that. Beginning in 2026, DPC fees are now considered qualified medical expenses and can be paid using pre-tax dollars. All employers will now allow this! 

 Why It Matters

This is a game-changer for families who want high-quality, accessible care without the red tape of traditional insurance.

Pairing a Zest membership with a High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) during Open Enrollment this fall means:

·      Lower insurance premiums

·      More control over how you spend your healthcare dollars

·      The ability to use tax-free dollars to cover your child’s care

·      A predictable, transparent monthly fee for 24/7 pediatric support

In a recent MedPage Today article, direct pediatric care doctor Kelly Parker-Mello, MD discussed this policy change. She is thilled that more and more children will now have access to DPC and its benefits — from home visits to avoided emergency room visits. “I’m amazed at how many ER visits I saved by saying ‘Just call me if you think it’s an emergency,’ because the majority of the time, they don’t need an ER; they just need advice.” A recent Zest research study supports this finding: 70% of Zest families believe the model has kept them out of the emergency room – Saving families both significant time and money. This is amazing!

 What Should You Do Next?

Open Enrollment is your opportunity to switch to an HDHP that’s compatible with an HSA.

This fall, as you choose your health insurance for 2026:

1.     Consider selecting a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) to qualify for an HSA, if you do not already have this.

2.     Fund your HSA with pre-tax dollars.

3.     Use those dollars to for your Zest membership.

It’s a smart move that makes personalized pediatric care even more affordable.

More details will be coming this Fall as Open Enrollment begins. In the meantime, make sure your employer HR department knows about Direct Primary Care! 

 And tell your friends to look into Zest and HSA pre-tax dollars!