Pandemic Healthcare Access Act

Bill: 116-s-3546
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Introduced: 2020-03-19
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Bank accounts, deposits, capital

Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Health care costs and insurance

Income tax deductions

Infectious and parasitic diseases
Latest action: action_date: 2020-03-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-03-19
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Pandemic Healthcare Access Act</strong></p> <p>This bill preserves the eligibility of health savings account (HSA) participants covered by any health plan&nbsp;during the coronavirus emergency period. The <em>coronavirus emergency period</em> is the period beginning on March 13, 2020, and ending on the later of (1) the last day on which a presidential declaration of emergency under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act with respect to the coronavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19)&nbsp;is in effect, or (2) the last day on which&nbsp;a presidential declaration of national emergency under the National Emergencies Act with respect to the coronavirus&nbsp;is in effect. </p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3546 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 19, 2020 Mr. Cruz (for himself and Mr. Sasse ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To waive high deductible health plan requirements for health savings accounts.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Pandemic Healthcare Access Act . 2. Access to health savings accounts (a) In general For purposes of section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, notwithstanding subsection (c)(1) thereof, during the coronavirus emergency period, any individual who is covered by any health plan, including a health plan which is not a high deductible health plan, shall be treated as an eligible individual. (b) Contribution deadline An individual who is treated as an eligible individual for purposes of section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 solely by reason of subsection (a) may make contributions to the health savings account (as defined in section 223(d) of such Code) of such individual up to the due date for the return of Federal income tax for the taxable year which includes the last day of the coronavirus emergency period. (c) Coronavirus emergency period For purposes of this section, the coronavirus emergency period is the period beginning on March 13, 2020, and ending on the later of— (1) the last day on which the declaration of emergency involving Federal primary responsibility determined to exist by the President under section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5191(b) ) with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) is in effect; or (2) the last day on which the declaration of national emergency declared by the President under the National Emergencies Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) is in effect.