Bipartisan House Bill Would Make Over-the-Counter Oral Health Products HSA-Eligible
On June 3, 2024, Representatives Jeff Van Drew, DMD (R-NJ-2), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19) introduced a bill entitled, To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to include over-the-counter oral healthcare products as qualified medical expenses which can be purchased with HSA and FSA funds (H.R. 8599). The legislation would allow funds from health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) to be used to purchase over-the-counter (OTC) oral health products, such as toothbrushes and floss. HSAs and FSAs are tax-exempt accounts offered by a growing number of employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) plans that allow employees to set aside pre-tax dollars to be spent on qualified medical expenses.
The text of H.R. 8599 is available here.
Impact on General Dentistry: AGD strongly supports policies that improve HSAs and FSAs to increase access to oral health care. Expanding qualified medical expenses to include coverage for OTC oral health products would improve access to essential oral health tools and strengthen preventative dental care. AGD will continue tracking this legislation, and others that impact HSAs and FSAs.
The text of H.R. 8599 is available here.
Impact on General Dentistry: AGD strongly supports policies that improve HSAs and FSAs to increase access to oral health care. Expanding qualified medical expenses to include coverage for OTC oral health products would improve access to essential oral health tools and strengthen preventative dental care. AGD will continue tracking this legislation, and others that impact HSAs and FSAs.