Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 919) to codify Internal Revenue Service guidance relating to treatment of certain services and items for chronic conditions as meeting the preventive care deductible safe harbor for purposes of high deductible health plans in connection with health savings accounts.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act, introduced by Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Vern Buchanan and our Ways and Means colleague, Representative Jimmy Panetta.

This legislation provides employers and their employees with greater flexibility to design healthcare coverage options that expand access to treatments for chronic diseases.

The chronic disease epidemic has, unfortunately, impacted nearly every family in America and represents a significant share of our healthcare spending. In fact, 90 percent of the $4.1 trillion this country spends each year on healthcare goes toward chronic disease. This is not surprising when you realize that 60 percent of Americans suffer from some form of chronic disease, whether it be heart disease, diabetes, or cancer.

So many Americans would benefit from having healthcare coverage that is not only more affordable but more responsive to their needs so that they can better manage their health.

Last Congress, the House of Representatives approved a version of this legislation, but unfortunately, we were not able to get the bill across the finish line. However, with President Trump back in the White House, we are moving this bill once again, a bill that further strengthens a policy put in place during the first Trump administration.

For the 53 percent of employers that offer high deductible health plans to their employees, they would now be able to improve those options by allowing predeductible coverage of critical chronic care management services, including beta blockers, blood pressure monitors, glucometers, inhalers, and medications and testing to help individuals with high cholesterol. While the bill includes 14 specific services that could be covered, it leaves the door open for the list to be expanded later, as well.

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.

I thank Representatives Buchanan and Panetta for their leadership on this issue, as well as recognize the work of our Ways and Means Health Subcommittee that held its first hearing this Congress on creating healthier options for families and raising awareness about the chronic disease epidemic we have in this country.

As HHS Secretary Kennedy is shining a light on the chronic disease epidemic, the Ways and Means Committee is leading the charge in Congress to examine the root causes and delivering solutions, including this bill before us today.

I encourage all of my colleagues to once again provide strong bipartisan support for this effort to address chronic disease. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Buchanan).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is long overdue, particularly given the enormous size, scope, and cost of America's chronic disease epidemic. It will put more patients in the driver's seat when it comes to managing their health, and open doors for folks to get the treatments that will not only save them money but improve their well-being.

High deductible healthcare plans are already a popular option for employers to offer their workers. Expanding what services can be provided under these plans, specifically to help treat chronic diseases, will only make this a more affordable and useful health coverage choice for patients.

I encourage my colleagues to support the passage of the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and, of course, my good friend, Representative Vern Buchanan, an excellent member of the Ways and Means Committee for their work on this bill.

With his work, I rise today to support this legislation, the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act. This is bipartisan, commonsense legislation to allow predeductible health coverage for chronic disease patients with a high deductible health plan, otherwise known as HDHP.

This commonsense legislation, as you heard from the chairman, already passed Congress last session under the leadership of my friends and former colleagues, Brad Wenstrup and Earl Blumenauer. It is common sense mainly because, as you heard from the chairman, chronic disease is so common.

Mr. Speaker, 6 in 10 adult Americans have a chronic disease, which is the leading cause of disabilities in the United States of America. Mr. Speaker, 90 percent of our annual health spending goes to chronic disease and mental health management. While these chronic diseases are common, they are also manageable if we just do everything that we can to improve access to care.

In my 19th Congressional District on the central coast of California, the number one thing I hear about from constituents is access to healthcare or, I should say, the lack of access to healthcare. The one thing that is clear, though, is that insurance doesn't do you much good if you can't use it.

In 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 43 percent of people with employer-based coverage had an HDHP. Moreover, 56 percent of employers offer an HDHP. However, nearly 59 percent of Americans--that is nearly 6 in 10 people--lack $1,000 in savings to handle an emergency expense.

That is exactly why expanding HDHP coverage to offer critical care for some of our most medically vulnerable constituents isn't just the right thing to do. It is the smart thing to do.

The Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act codifies IRS guidance to expand the safe harbor for high deductible health plans offering predeductible care for chronic conditions. It lets employers offer first-dollar access to care for patients with diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, and many more, as the chairman mentioned.

When this IRS guidance was originally issued in 2019, a survey found that 76 percent, or more than three-quarters, of employers expanded predeductible coverage for chronic diseases. Codifying this policy now will save countless lives by helping more patients manage their conditions and stay healthy.

That is why this bill is endorsed by so many, from chronic disease advocates to health benefit groups to small business associations. That is why I recommend my colleagues to vote for the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act.

Again, I thank Congressman Buchanan, and I thank the chairman for bringing this bill forward.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing.

Mr. Speaker, as you have heard, this legislation has bipartisan support and support from a broad coalition of employers and health stakeholders. I appreciate my colleagues on the other side being so concerned and so focused on this. Let's just hope they have that same concern when it comes to Medicaid and Medicare going forward, especially with the reconciliation package.

They understand, and we understand, that it is critical that we start expanding access to preventative care and chronic care management to stem the tide of chronic disease.

Passing the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act will improve long- term health outcomes, let businesses offer superior health benefits, and strengthen healthcare for everyone.

Once again, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard from great speakers talking about the problem with chronic disease in the United States.

One of the issues that face people who have hypertension, kidney disease, and diabetes is that they can't get the medicines or the devices that they need to be able to regulate their condition.

This bill, H.R. 919, helps to solve that problem by giving individuals access to those lifesaving devices prior to them fulfilling their deductible. This is critical, as we fight chronic disease in the United States. As we have heard, over 90 percent of the expenditures in this country are due to chronic disease.

I know that in my district in eastern North Carolina, the rate of diabetes, obesity, congestive heart failure, and high blood pressure are things that are really, truly killing our population. Being able to access devices so that we can monitor these things is crucial. We have to have availability for these devices for people before they have to pay their full deductible.

I applaud Representative Buchanan, Representative Panetta, and Chairman Smith for bringing this forward. This is common sense. President Trump tried to do this in his first term. I am very grateful that they are trying to do this again. We want to make America healthy again. That starts with being able to give patients the tools that they need to be healthy. I urge support for H.R. 919 to my colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership, as well. I rise today in strong support of my bill, the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act.

This important legislation will expand treatment options for Americans living with chronic diseases provided through their employer's healthcare coverage. My bill allows employers to offer predeductibility on 14 different chronic diseases, especially for those who are on high deductible health plans.

With 6 in 10 Americans living with at least one chronic disease, it is clear to me that we need to have many more options. The cost for chronic diseases in the American economy is enormous, accounting for over $1 trillion a year, if you can imagine that. Chronic disease also accounts for the overwhelming percentages of preventable deaths in the United States. I believe this initiative will improve patients' health, also reducing costly hospitalizations.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, Congressman Panetta, for his leadership and friendship. I really appreciate his working with me on this. I also thank Leader Scalise and Whip Emmer for bringing this to the floor today.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill to help give Americans the tools they need for a longer, healthier, and happier life.