Is a high-deductible health plan with an HSA a good choice for someone pursuing early retirement?

For many on the FIRE path it is excellent. An HSA is triple tax-advantaged per the IRS: contributions are deductible, growth is untaxed, and withdrawals for qualified medical costs are tax-free. If you pay current medical bills out of pocket and save the receipts, you can let the HSA grow invested for decades and reimburse yourself tax-free anytime, effectively turning it into a stealth medical retirement fund. The catch is you must be enrolled in a qualifying high-deductible health plan to contribute, and the annual contribution limit is set by the IRS each year. After 65 you can withdraw HSA money for any purpose, paying only ordinary income tax like a traditional IRA. For early retirees facing years of self-funded healthcare before Medicare, an invested HSA is a powerful, tax-free reserve.