WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chair of the Health Subcommittee, and Congressman Jimmy Panetta announced that they introduced legislation to expand treatment options provided through employers’ healthcare coverage for Americans living with chronic diseases.
The Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act allows for employers who offer high-deductible health plan (HDHP) coverage for their employees the option of including pre-deductible coverage for certain healthcare services that treat common chronic illnesses. The legislation codifies a Trump Administration policy established in 2019.
“With six in ten Americans living with at least one chronic disease, it is clear that we must give people more options to better manage their chronic health conditions,” said Buchanan. “The Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act offers employees more flexibility to manage their chronic diseases, improving patient health while reducing costly hospitalizations. I’m proud to lead this legislation, which passed with strong, bipartisan support last Congress, to save taxpayers money and give folks the tools they need to live longer, healthier and happier lives.”
“Expanding access to affordable and effective treatments for chronic diseases is critical to the health and pocketbooks of families throughout California’s 19th Congressional District,” said Rep. Panetta. “The Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act would give employers the flexibility to provide pre-deductible coverage for essential treatments, ensuring that employees can better manage their health without being burdened by high out-of-pocket costs. This bipartisan effort is a step forward in improving care, lowering costs, and enhancing the quality of life for millions of Americans.”
Buchanan’s bill allows employers to offer pre-deductible coverage of 14 chronic healthcare services for employees using an HDHP. These services include beta-blockers for patients with congestive heart failure, blood pressure monitors for patients with high blood pressure, glucometers for patients with diabetes, inhalers for patients with asthma, cholesterol drugs and testing for patients with heart disease. The legislation also ensures the list of services can continue to be expanded upon, as needed.
The Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act passed with unanimous bipartisan support during the 118th Congress.
This legislation is supported by numerous leading organizations, including the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the National Small Business Association (NSBA), the Primary Care Collaborative (PCC), the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), the American Benefits Council, the Smarter Health Care Coalition, the Alliance to Fight for Health Care, the Health Savings Account Council and the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM).
“Small business owners know that a healthy workforce is a productive workforce. By allowing employers to offer pre-deductible coverage for chronic disease management, the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act provides much-needed flexibility to small businesses striving to offer competitive health benefits,” said Josselin Castillo, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).
“America’s small businesses provide roughly half of all private sector jobs, and we support our employees. Small companies are constantly working to provide competitive, high-quality, and affordable benefits that give American workers the flexibility and support that they need. Representative Buchanan’s Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act will help us do just that: allowing for pre-deductible coverage options to manage chronic conditions for individuals on high-deductible health plans. This type of flexibility helps small businesses add to the list of benefits they can offer, keeps long term healthcare costs down, and supports the American workers central to keeping America’s main streets thriving,” said Todd McCracken, President and CEO, National Small Business Association (NSBA).
“Cost should never be a barrier to primary care, and the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act is an essential step toward ensuring Americans with chronic conditions have access to the care they need. The PCC urges lawmakers to move swiftly to enact this bipartisan legislation, which assures comprehensive, preventative care and provide financial relief for millions who depend on employer-provided or commercial coverage,” said Ann Greiner, President and CEO, Primary Care Collaborative (PCC).
"The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) applauds the reintroduction of the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act. Approximately eight percent of adults and 6.5 percent of children in the US suffer from asthma. This legislation would allow high deductible health plans to offer pre-deductible coverage of chronic disease treatments, including inhaled corticosteroids and peak flow meters for asthma. This policy will allow the nearly 28 million patients living with asthma to better afford their treatment and prevent costly adverse health outcomes. The AAAAI urges Congress to support and advance this common-sense legislation,” said Dr. Paul Williams, MD, President, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).
“The American Benefits Council strongly supports the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act and other legislation that would allow employers to cover high-value services pre-deductible. Since 90% of the nation’s annual health care expenditures are for people with chronic physical and mental health conditions, it is common sense that policymakers allow employers and health plans to cover more robustly services that manage chronic care. We urge swift enactment of this important legislation,” said Ilyse Schuman, Senior Vice President, Health and Paid Leave Policy, American Benefits Council.
“The Smarter Health Care Coalition strongly supports the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act, which codifies flexibility for health plans and employers to offer more chronic disease prevention before patients have met their deductibles. This flexibility has already led to increased medication adherence for patients with diabetes and heart disease. We enthusiastically support your legislation and look forward to its swift passage,” said Andrew MacPherson and Katy Spangler, Co-Directors, Smarter Health Care Coalition.
“The Alliance to Fight for Health Care appreciates the bipartisan work of Representatives Buchanan and Panetta in introducing the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act. Allowing employers and health plans to offer more chronic disease prevention pre-deductible will help millions of Americans better manage their conditions. The Alliance has been a long supporter of this common-sense policy,” said a spokesperson for the Alliance to Fight for Health Care.
“The Health Savings Account Council strongly supports allowing more high-value health care pre-deductible in Health Savings Account-eligible plans. We urge swift passage of the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act and we look forward to working closely with Reps. Buchanan and Panetta to advance this important bipartisan legislation,” said Kevin McKechnie, Executive Director, Health Savings Account Council.
“This legislation takes important steps to incentivize wellness and prevention by allowing employers to include pre-deductible coverage for essential preventive health services, which allows for appropriate screening and earlier detection of chronic diseases. Empowering individuals to better manage their chronic conditions without the burden of high out-of-pocket costs is an important move to make access to preventive care easier and earlier, not only improving health outcomes, but also reducing long-term healthcare expenses for both individuals and employers. Removing financial barriers to preventive care can promote wellness and enhance the length and quality of life for many Americans,” said Dr. Mirza I. Rahman, MD, MPH, President, American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM).
In addition to being the Vice Chairman and most senior Republican on the powerful U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, Buchanan is also the Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, which has broad jurisdiction over traditional Medicare, the Medicare prescription drug benefit program and Medicare Advantage.
Read the one-pager on the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act previously introduced in the 118th Congress here.
