Text of letter sent to all Members of Congress:
May 8, 2018
The Honorable Rodney Frelinghuysen
2306 Rayburn House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative Frelinghuysen:
As president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeon (AAPS), I am contacting you about S. 1358/H.R. 365, the Primary Care Enhancement Act of 2017. AAPS is a national organization representing physicians of all specialties.
The goal of this one-page bill is simple. If enacted, it would allow patients to use their own Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to pay for Direct Primary Care service agreements. Direct Primary Care is an innovative alternative payment model to improve access to high functioning medical care. These include primary care services, basic diagnostic tests, and commonly used prescription drugs at a package price. The bill clarifies that such arrangements are neither insurance nor health plans as defined in section 223(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, and that they are payment for medical care under 213(d) of that code.
The purpose of HSAs was to expand patient freedom to choose how to spend their own money for medical care. However, patients are not allowed to use their HSA to fund Direct Primary Care, nor are they allowed to make tax-deductible contributions to their HSA if they have a periodic DPC arrangement.
Direct Primary Care is lowering costs for both patients and taxpayers. DPC patients receive prompt, personalized care of acute and chronic conditions from a physician they know and trust. Please add your support to S. 1358/H.R. 365 by becoming a co-sponsor.
Sincerely,
Albert L. Fisher, M.D.
President, AAPS
P.S. More than 1,125 physicians and patients have added their names to our letter to the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees in support of S. 1358 and H.R. 365. You can view the letter and list of supporters at http://bit.ly/pcealetter.
