What do my employees receive if I contribute to the City Option on their behalf?

The City Option allows employers to contribute to the City’s public benefit program on behalf of their employees. Based on the information the employer provides, employees will be provided one of two health benefits:

1. Healthy San Francisco (HSF) – If an employee is eligible for Healthy San Francisco (HSF), the employer’s payment may be applied towards the Employee’s HSF enrollment, and the employee may receive a discount on HSF program participation fees. HSF is not health insurance. HSF provides limited services and providers for medical care.

   To be eligible for HSF, the employee must:
   a. Live in San Francisco,
   b. Be uninsured for at least 90 days,
   c. Be age 18 or over, and
   d. Not qualify for public health insurance programs (such as Medi-Cal).

2. Medical Reimbursement Accounts (MRAs) – If the employee is not eligible for HSF, the employer’s contribution is deposited in an irrevocable medical reimbursement account – MRA. Employees can obtain reimbursements from their MRAs for a full range of medical, dental, and vision expenses, including reimbursements for the cost of insurance premiums. The contributed funds remain available to the employee, and the employee may seek reimbursements for health care expenses from their remaining MRA balance at any time.