# Understanding the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act

If you have a high deductible health plan paired with a health savings account (HSA), this bill could make it easier and cheaper for you to manage chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or asthma. Right now, there's confusion about which treatments and supplies for ongoing health conditions count as "preventive care" that you can access without paying your full deductible first. This bill clears that up by making official what the IRS has been saying informally: certain services and items specifically designed to manage chronic diseases should be treated as preventive care.

Here's why this matters in practical terms. With a high deductible plan, you typically have to pay a large amount out of pocket before your insurance kicks in. However, preventive care—like vaccinations or screenings—is supposed to be covered without hitting that deductible. The problem is that treatments for managing existing chronic conditions have been stuck in a gray area. Someone with diabetes might not know if their glucose monitor or insulin supplies count as preventive, or if they have to pay their full deductible first. This bill takes guidance the IRS already issued and makes it permanent law, so people with chronic diseases can confidently access these management tools and supplies without worrying about deductible costs.

The bill essentially protects people with ongoing health conditions from unexpected out-of-pocket expenses for the items and services they need to keep their conditions under control. It's a relatively straightforward fix that removes ambiguity and gives people with chronic diseases better access to affordable care management tools.

Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act

Wenstrup, Brad R.

Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage ActThis bill provides statutory authority for certain guidance from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that expands the types of preventive care that may be offered under high deductible health plans (HDHPs) without a deductible.In 2019, the IRS issued guidance that allows HDHPs to cover certain items and services for individuals with chronic conditions without a deductible, including medications and monitoring devices for those with diabetes or heart conditions. The bill provides statutory authority for this guidance.&nbsp;