Washington, D.C. – Today, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) released the following statement after the House passed two bills sponsored by Committee Members to modernize and improve access to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), increase choices, and lower premiums:

“As Republicans continue to work towards comprehensive health care reform, the House is taking action to enact targeted policies that expand access to HSAs, lower costs and premiums through increasing choices, and stop harmful Obamacare taxes that are passed onto small businesses and consumers. These measures will put patients in control and empower people and families to make decisions for themselves.

“This legislation will expand access to millions of Americans for the first time, including working seniors and folks enrolled in Obamacare’s high deductible plans. By modernizing and strengthening HSAs, we will help the nearly 22 million Americans who rely on them — that’s twice the number of Americans who get coverage under Obamacare’s exchanges. I applaud the leadership of Health Subcommittee Chairman Peter Roskam and Committee Member Lynn Jenkins, champions for patients across the country; and I also want to thank Committee Members Erik Paulsen, Kristi Noem, Mike Kelly, Jason Smith, Earl Blumenauer, Mike Thompson, and Ron Kind, along with Reps. Steve Stivers, Michael Burgess, and Grace Meng. I encourage the Senate to take up these bills soon.”

The following bills were approved by the House today:

H.R. 6199, the Restoring Access to Medication and Modernizing Health Savings Accounts Act of 2018, sponsored by Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS).

The House approved the bill 277 – 142.

H.R. 6311, the Increasing Access to Lower Premium Plans and Expanding Health Savings Accounts Act of 2018, sponsored by Health Subcommittee Chairman Peter Roskam (R-IL).

The House approved the bill 242 – 176.