Newly introduced legislation would allow Americans to aside funds to cover the purchase of dietary supplements, treating them as qualified medical expenses. The Dietary Supplement Access Act would allow citizens to use up to $500 annually that they contribute to Health Saving Accounts (HSA) or Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA) on the purchase of vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, and amino acids intended to supplement the diet. This legislation is a major step forward putting supplements on par with other allowable over-the-counter purchases that do not require a physician prescription.
Introduced by Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and John Curtis (R-UT), the Act would put you in control of how you use your funds and how you manage your health. Currently, HSA and FSA rules do not allow the purchase of dietary supplements without a physician’s prescription.
HSA vs FSA Accounts
HSAs are triple-tax-advantaged savings accounts designed for individuals with high-deductible health plans. The contributions are tax-deductible, earnings grow tax-free, and withdrawals are tax-free when used for qualified medical purposes.
FSAs are an employer-sponsored account that lets you set aside pre-tax money from your paycheck to cover eligible out-of-pocket health or dependent care expenses. Because the money is untaxed, it lowers overall taxable income.
Advantages of Dietary Supplement Access Act
Citizens for Health joins the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) in supporting this legislation as it:
- Removes the barrier to purchase everyday supplements with tax-advantaged accounts;
- Reduces unnecessary bureaucracy; and
- Contributes to your preferred preventive health approach.
Together, over the years, we’ve seen similar bi-partisan efforts which recognize that access to preventive health should not be difficult.
Support common sense reform
Everyday costs continue to rise, including access to dietary supplements and other preventive care options. Please join us and the ANH in supporting this commonsense reform that empowers consumers, supports health freedom, and aligns federal policy with how millions of Americans already approach wellness.
Sign the Alliance for Natural Health’s Action Alert today! Tell Congress to move quickly to pass this legislation and expand access to the preventive tools Americans rely on every day.
