New legislation advanced by a voice vote March 4 would codify 14 pre-deductible healthcare services through high-deductible health plans (HDHPs).
It codifies guidance from President Donald Trump’s first term increasing flexible coverage options for HDHPs. The bill would allow medical products and services like beta-blockers, blood pressure monitors, glucometers, inhalers and cholesterol drugs to be more easily covered by insurance by letting insurers pay for low-cost services before a deductible is reached.
“This legislation provides employers and their employees with greater flexibility to design healthcare coverage options that expand access to treatments for chronic diseases,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Missouri, in a statement on the House floor. “By providing flexible coverage options for more people living with chronic health conditions, we can help lower their costs and improve their health and well-being.”
HDHPs are traditionally popular among Republican lawmakers to help people obtain access to services, but financial barriers can be “exacerbated” through HDHPs, the American Medical Association has warned (PDF).
These plans have low premiums, high deductibles and greater cost-sharing requirements than traditional plans. The low premiums drive enrollment, though critics say the plans ultimately lead to higher out-of-pocket costs and less medical care.
Chronic disease prevention is the one of the key focuses of Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The bipartisan bill is sponsored by Republican Vern Buchanan of Florida and Democrat Jimmy Panetta of California.
RFK Jr. routinely rails against the rise of chronic disease in the U.S. as healthcare costs continue to soar. About 60% of Americans suffer from chronic disease, said Smith.
The bill has received support from industry groups like the American Benefits Council, the Primary Care Collaborative, the Health Savings Account Council, the Alliance to Fight for Health Care and several small business associations. It was introduced in the previous Congress but was never enacted into law. The bill must still be passed by the full Senate.