HELP Copays Act
Sponsored By: Representative Kean
Introduced
Summary
This bill makes sure third-party help from charities and drug makers actually reduces what patients owe by requiring those payments to count toward a plan's deductible, coinsurance, copayment, and out-of-pocket limits. It also includes a safe harbor so counting those payments does not disqualify a plan as a high deductible health plan for health savings account rules.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Charity and drug payments count toward deductibles
If enacted, the bill would require group and individual health plans to treat amounts paid by or on behalf of an enrollee as counting toward that enrollee's deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or out-of-pocket limit. This includes financial help from nonprofit organizations and prescription drug manufacturers. It would also direct that ACA rules for essential health benefits be applied to prescription drugs using the prescription drug category. These rules would apply to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.
Keep HSA eligibility when assistance counts
If enacted, the bill would add a safe harbor so a plan would not lose high-deductible health plan status just because it counts amounts paid by or on behalf of an enrollee toward the deductible. The safe harbor covers assistance for outpatient prescription drugs from nonprofits and drug manufacturers. This would help preserve Health Savings Account eligibility. It would apply for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kean
NJ • R
Cosponsors
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Miller-Meeks
IA • R
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Auchincloss
MA • D
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Watson Coleman
NJ • D
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Matsui
CA • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Ross
NC • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Davids (KS)
KS • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Ciscomani
AZ • R
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Levin
CA • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Pfluger
TX • R
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Quigley
IL • D
Sponsored 12/19/2025
Lieu
CA • D
Sponsored 12/19/2025
Panetta
CA • D
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Gottheimer
NJ • D
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Wilson (SC)
SC • R
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Salazar
FL • R
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Stevens
MI • D
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Case
HI • D
Sponsored 1/12/2026
Subramanyam
VA • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Meuser
PA • R
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Suozzi
NY • D
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Goldman (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Pocan
WI • D
Sponsored 2/10/2026
LaLota
NY • R
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Tokuda
HI • D
Sponsored 3/19/2026
Pappas
NH • D
Sponsored 3/19/2026
Moulton
MA • D
Sponsored 3/20/2026
Balint
VT • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Adams
NC • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Houlahan
PA • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Bynum
OR • D
Sponsored 3/25/2026
Lee (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Kiggans (VA)
VA • R
Sponsored 3/27/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 4/6/2026
Riley (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 4/6/2026
Crow
CO • D
Sponsored 4/9/2026
Conaway
NJ • D
Sponsored 4/21/2026
Kennedy (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 4/13/2026
Torres (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 4/15/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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