WASHINGTON, D.C. – Individuals and families will save on health care expenses and have more coverage options that better fit their needs thanks to the U.S. House passed One, Big, Beautiful Bill. In addition to the numerous pro-family, pro-worker provisions in the bill like tax relief for low- and middle-income individuals and improvements to critical supports like paid family leave and 529 accounts to cover education expenses, the legislation expands on the proven Health Savings Account (HSA) model to reduce medical expenses and give as many as 20 million more American patients more flexibility in how they spend their health care dollars. It cements into law the flexible Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements policy originally established during President Trump’s first term that will give small businesses and their employees greater freedom of choices in access to coverage and help those businesses better compete for talent. The bill also provides new access to care in rural communities through expanding the Rural Emergency Hospitals designation, an innovative rural care delivery model.
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) issued the following statement on provisions in The One, Big, Beautiful Bill that will make health care more affordable for more Americans:
“For working-class Americans, health care costs can eat away at a family budget. The One, Big, Beautiful Bill will help those families by keeping their tax burden low, raising their wages, and increasing the prospect for better paying jobs, while also advancing health care policies that help address the high cost of coverage and barriers to care in this country. The Democrats’ one-size-fits-all approach to health care has been an historical failure – hiking costs up, driving quality down, and stripping Americans of choices. Under The One, Big, Beautiful Bill, we are improving the availability of health care in America – including for those in rural communities. Increased access to HSAs and Health Reimbursement Arrangements will empower small businesses and help individuals to take control of their health care, better manage those expenses, and seek out insurance coverage that actually meets their needs.”
The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Invests in the Health of American Families and Workers:
- Unleashes HSAs to Put Patients in Control of Their Health
- Provides 20 million more Americans access to HSAs, including seniors on Medicare and individuals enrolled in certain individual market plans.
- “Makes America Healthy Again” by allowing HSA funds to be used for fitness memberships, promoting direct primary care services, and encouraging on-site work clinics.
- Improves HSA usability with necessary fixes to red tape, including marriage penalties.
- Follows Ways and Means Committee activity focused on the utility of HSAs to promote better health – including a recent Health Subcommittee hearing on modernizing American health care where a small business owner testified to the growing popularity of HSAs among small employers.
- Grows Coverage by Investing in CHOICE Arrangements
- Codifies 2019 Trump rules allowing for individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (CHOICE arrangements) incentivizing coverage for 350,000 employees.
- Establishes tax incentives for small businesses to offer CHOICE arrangements to help recruit and retain workers.
- Increases Health Care Access in Rural America and Main Street
- Expands Rural Emergency Hospitals to increase access to care in rural communities and helps recently shuttered hospitals return to serving patients in underserved communities.
- The CHOICE arrangement credit helps provide coverage for Main Street businesses.
FACT SHEET: The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Champions Life and Puts American Families First
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