Cramer: Restoring Access to Medication Act Strengthens Health Savings Accounts, Provides Obamacare Relief

Press Release

Congressman Kevin Cramer supported a bill in the House of Representatives today improving access to health care through health savings accounts (HSA) and providing targeted relief from Obamacare. It passed by a vote of 243 to 164.

H.R. 1270, the Restoring Access to Medication Act, repeals the prohibition on using tax-free funds from HSAs to purchase over-the-counter (OTC) medication without a prescription. It allows both spouses to make catch-up contributions to the same HSA, allows for more flexibility between incurring certain medical expenses prior to opening an HSA, and increases the maximum contribution limit to match the combined annual limit on out-of-pocket and deductible expenses under a qualified HSA plan.

It also amends tax code relating to premium assistance credits for the purchase of health insurance by modifying existing limits on the amounts to be repaid by taxpayers whose advance payments exceed their Obamacare subsidy.

"This bill received bipartisan support because it empowers individuals and families to benefit from greater choice and competition, resulting in lower costs and increased quality," said Cramer. "It repeals the burdensome and nonsensical Obamacare OTC policy that has left consumers with limited options and increased needless doctor appointments to obtain a prescription to receive insurance coverage."

Cramer said the changes in the tax code protects taxpayer dollars and makes it more fair for repaying improper Obamacare subsidies. "Good health care needs to be centered on the patient," he said. "The reforms in this bill help put the focus more on patients and away from burdensome provisions in unwieldy insurance plans."

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