WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Jenkins sent a letter to President Obama asking him to direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Secretary Sebelius to reconsider two parts of Obamacare that could jeopardize the future of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The letter was signed by Jenkins and 45 of her colleagues in the House of Representatives. The Congresswoman released the following statement about the letter:

“Today, nearly 14 million Americans utilize Health Savings Accounts to help address the rising costs of health care. These accounts allow folks to set aside their own dollars on a pre-tax basis to pay for their health care expenses. Because Obamacare did not fix the problem of rising health care costs, Americans need these accounts more than ever. We should protect their ability to continue to purchase health plans that include HSAs.

“The administration’s final rule on Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) and the guidance bulletin on Actuarial Value (AV) discriminates against HSA-qualified health plans, and prevents these plans from being offered inside or outside insurance exchanges in individual, small group and large group markets. Over time, these actions will eliminate access to HSA-qualified health plans in all of these markets.

“We should not allow the federal government to make choices of this magnitude regarding individuals' health care. President Obama has voiced his support for HSA-qualified plans, and I urge him to overturn these harmful regulations. Consumers must be put back in charge of their health care decisions.”

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