The Spousal HRA From Empower
Reduce Health Plan Costs Without Reducing Benefits
Spousal HRAs provide employers with a flexible way to support employees and their families while helping manage overall healthcare spending.
Save with a Spousal HRA from Empower
What is a Spousal HRA?
A Spousal HRA (SpHRA) is a self-funded employer benefit strategy designed to reduce medical plan enrollment while still supporting employee healthcare costs.
It allows employers to offer financial reimbursement to employees (and/or their covered spouses) who choose to enroll in a spouse’s employer-sponsored medical plan instead of the employer’s group health plan.
By shifting eligible dependents out of the employer’s medical plan, the SpHRA can reduce enrolled membership and associated claims exposure, creating potential savings on self-funded plan costs while maintaining a defined benefit to employees.
Benefits of a Spousal HRA
Reduce Health Plan Costs
- Encourage eligible spouses to enroll in alternative coverage when available
- Potentially reduce enrollment in the employer-sponsored medical plan
- Create a more predictable approach to managing healthcare spending
Provide a Valuable Employee Benefit
- Offer tax-free reimbursements for eligible spouse medical expenses
- Help employees offset out-of-pocket healthcare costs
- Reward employees who have access to other qualifying coverage
Flexible Plan Design
- Employers determine reimbursement amounts and eligibility requirements
- Can be tailored to fit specific workforce and budget objectives
- Works alongside existing benefit strategies
What Makes Empower Different?
Unlike rigid, one-size-fits-all programs, Empower’s SpHRA is designed to preserve employer control over plan structure and eligibility.
No required percentage-of-savings pricing model
Empower uses a transparent PEPM pricing structure, not savings-based fees.
No mandated spousal surcharges
Employers are not required to implement penalties or offsets to make the design work.
No rigid eligibility framework
Employers retain control over eligibility rules, contribution levels, and plan structure.
Who We Are
Empower has administered employee benefits since 2004, with a focus on flexible, compliance-driven reimbursement arrangements and practical plan design.
Not sure where to start? We’ll help you explore your options and build a plan that works for your organization.
Ready to Get Started?
Whether you’re implementing a new plan or considering a change, our team can help you evaluate your options and build a solution that works for your organization.