Bipartisan legislation sponsored on March 24 by U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) would allow America’s senior citizens to use qualified distributions from their health savings accounts (HSAs) to pay for certain home care services.
“Seniors and their family caregivers should have the power to utilize their health savings accounts in a manner that meets their care needs,” Rep. Smith said. “This legislation would simply allow seniors to use their HSA funds for home care services.”
Rep. Smith introduced the Homecare for Seniors Act, H.R. 1795, alongside 10 original cosponsors, including U.S. Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Troy Balderson (R-OH), and Katie Porter (D-CA), to permit HSA distributions to pay for services such as assistance with: meal preparation, bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting, continence, and medication adherence, according to the text of the bill.
“Rep. Porter has been a strong leader on this issue, and I thank her for partnering with me on this legislation,” added Rep. Smith.
If enacted, the home care services allowed under H.R. 1795 must be provided by a service provider licensed by the state to provide such services or such services must be otherwise provided in a manner that is consistent with state requirements, the text says.
“Congress should empower seniors to live with dignity, whether they choose to age at home or join a dedicated community,” Rep. Porter said. “Our bipartisan legislation gives Americans who need homecare more flexibility to use their own savings to get the care they need, so seniors can age in place, connected with their existing support networks.”
H.R. 1795 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee.