The Personalized Care Act is a ‘powerful prescription for health care freedom,’ Talento says
WASHINGTON — The Personalized Care Act, introduced today by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), will help Americans get the health care they need by strengthening Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and cutting red tape that restricts patient autonomy.
“We applaud Senator Cruz and Representative Roy for their leadership and encourage all Members of Congress to sponsor this legislation and to include The Personalized Care Act in any health care agenda,” says Katy Talento, executive director of The Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries (The Alliance, ahcsm.org).
“The proposed law is sorely needed to put patients and doctors back at the center of health care rather than IRS agents or the medical industrial complex,” she says. “It increases the amount that families and individual tax filers can contribute tax-free to Health Savings Account, and expands the range of health care expenses that HSAs can be used to pay, including expenses related to Health Care Sharing Ministry membership.”
Here are a few reasons why this bill is needed to increase health care freedom:
- The tax code today nonsensically privileges only a few. These include people with either insurance through their employer — with out-of-pocket expenses still taxed — or insurance with a sky-high deductible that must be paid before coverage kicks in, coupled with a Health Savings Account (HSA).
- HSA holders can deduct some health care expenses, but only up to a limited amount each year, which doesn’t begin to cover the amount most people pay for premiums, or even for Health Care Sharing Ministry memberships.
- Current contribution limits to a high-deductible plan don’t even cover what an average hospital-based MRI costs. This rule significantly impairs the sickest people with the most out-of-pocket expenses.
The Personalized Care Act will:
- Offer tens of millions of Americans access to Health Savings Accounts.
- Decouple HSAs from the requirement to be covered by only a high-deductible health insurance plan.
- Expand access to HSAs for individuals with Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, direct medical care, Health Care Sharing Ministries, short-term limited-duration plans, and medical indemnity plans.
- Increase annual HSA contribution limits from $3,550 to $10,800 for individuals and from $7,100 to $29,500 for families.
- Expand eligible usage, extending allowable HSA withdrawals to include direct medical care fees, Health Care Sharing Ministry fees, insurance premiums, and over the counter medications.
- Eliminate regulatory confusion for patients and doctors.
- Define direct medical care and Health Care Sharing Ministry fees as qualified medical expenses and not health plans or insurance policies.
“All of these innovative policies add up to less cost, less red tape and more choices for health care consumers, including the 1.5 million Americans who have chosen Health Care Sharing Ministries,” Talento says. “This bill makes it easier to access and afford health care without limitations on patients’ decisions about such personal and important matters.
“The Personalized Care Act lives up to its name. It’s a powerful prescription for health care freedom.”
Supporters of Health Care Sharing Ministries should contact their House Members and two Senators and urge them to sponsor and support Rep. Chip Roy, R-TX, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX in advancing The Personalized Care Act.
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries is a 501(c)(6) trade organization representing the common interests of Health Care Sharing Ministries which are facilitating the sharing of health care needs (financial, emotional, and spiritual) by individuals and families, and their participants. The Alliance engages with federal and state regulators, members of the media, and the Christian community to provide accurate and timely information on health care sharing.
To learn more about the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, visit www.ahcsm.org or follow the ministry on Facebook or Twitter.
To interview a representative from The Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, contact Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Harrison, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.
