Rep. Roy and Sen. Cruz fight for Healthcare Freedom

WASHINGTON, DC — Representative Chip Roy (R-TX-21) and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced the “Personalized Care Act”, legislation that will put millions of Americans in control of their healthcare choices by expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) – a mechanism that helps individuals create a personalized approach to their care. 

Representative Roy said, "The American healthcare system is broken, and the American people are taking it on the chin — all while big ‘healthcare’ companies get rich off this crony capitalist racket.

The Personalized Care Act would help end run this broken system by circumventing middlemen and bureaucrats and giving patients the direct power to make their own healthcare and coverage decisions, ultimately driving up competition to drive down prices.

The quasi-government-controlled healthcare cartel we have isn't working; it's time for Healthcare Freedom."

Senator Cruz said, “I am proud to lead the fight to increase accessibility to healthcare. By considerably expanding HSAs, Texans—and all Americans—will gain access to more portable, individualized healthcare. American people should be able to manage their own healthcare, not the bureaucracy. It’s time to remove the middleman, and allow Americans to make decisions about how and when they will get care for themselves. I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation expeditiously.”

The Personalized Care Act:

Offers millions of Americans access to Health Savings Accounts

• Decouples HSAs from high deductible health insurance plans, expands HSAs for individuals with Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, direct medical care, healthcare sharing ministries, short-term limited-duration plans, and medical indemnity plans.

Increases annual contributions  

• Increases HSA contribution limits from $3,550 (2020 limit) to $10,800 for individuals and from $7,100 (2020 limit) to $29,500 for families.

Expands eligible usage

• Extends allowable HSA withdrawals to include direct medical care fees, healthcare sharing ministry fees, insurance premiums, and over the counter medications.

Eliminates regulatory confusion for patients and doctors

• Defines direct medical care and healthcare sharing ministries as qualified medical expenses and not health plans or insurance plans.

Decreases tax penalty for nonqualified distributions

• Reduces the penalty for nonqualified distributions from 20 percent to 10 percent.

In the House, the legislation is co-sponsored by Representatives Dan Bishop (R-NC-8), Dan Meuser (R-PA-9), Ralph Norman (R-SC-5), Andy Biggs (R-AZ-5), Victoria Spartz (R-IN-5), Matt Gaetz (R-FL-1), Paul Gosar (R-AZ-9), Dan Rouzer (R-NC-7), Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Bob Good (R-VA-5), Tom Tiffany (R-WI-7), Nancy Mace(R-SC-1), Roger Williams (R-TX-25), and Brian Babin (R-TX-36). 

In the Senate, the legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and James Risch (R-ID).

Senator Risch added, “HSAs give Idahoans more choice and control when it comes to their health care decisions. Expanding HSAs with the Personalized Care Act will increase Americans’ abilities to save for future medical care costs and make health care decisions to best meet their needs.”

The legislation is supported by the Alliance of Healthcare Sharing Ministries, Heritage Action, Citizens' Council for Health Freedom, Direct Primary Care Council, Healthcare Savings Account Council, Healthcare Savings Account Coalition, FreedomWorks, National Taxpayer Union, Association of Mature American Citizens, Texas Public Policy Foundation, Americans for Prosperity, and Americans for Tax Reform.

Read the full piece of legislation here.