Bill Overview
Title: Employee Access to Worksite Health Services Act
Description: This bill provides that individuals who are eligible to receive qualified items and services at a worksite health clinic may make pre-tax contributions to a health savings account The bill defines qualified items and services to include primary care items and services, physical examinations, immunizations, drugs and drug testing, tests for infectious diseases, preventive care for chronic conditions, hearing, vision, or dental screenings, and mental and behavioral health services.
Sponsors: Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]
Target Audience
Population: employees with access to worksite health services
Estimated Size: 30000000
- The bill addresses employees who access health services at a worksite clinic, thus impacting employed individuals with access to such facilities.
- Health savings account (HSA) benefits typically target individuals who have a high-deductible health plan in the USA.
- The bill expands pre-tax contributions towards health services, which impacts financially savvy employees seeking tax advantages through HSAs.
- Many US employers offer worksite health clinics as a benefit primarily to full-time employees, affecting potentially millions of people.
- The United States has a high number of employees across various sectors who might have access to worksite health clinics, especially in large corporations.
Reasoning
- The policy targets employees with access to worksite health services, including those in large corporations and mid-sized businesses with such facilities.
- Not all employees will be affected immediately due to the need for access to worksite health clinics and awareness of health savings accounts (HSAs).
- Estimated 30 million potential beneficiaries could see improvements in well-being due to better access to health services and tax advantages.
- The budget constraints imply the policy will initially focus on large and mid-sized businesses while gradually expanding support over time.
Simulated Interviews
HR Manager (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy would be beneficial for me since I can make pre-tax contributions, allowing me to save on taxes.
- Access to mental and behavioral health services at the worksite is definitely a plus.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Software Developer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm already utilizing HSA benefits, and this policy would make it even easier to manage health expenses.
- I like that mental health services are included.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Warehouse Supervisor (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't currently use HSAs, but with these tax benefits, I might start.
- The accessible health services at work would definitely be a relief.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Teacher (New York, NY)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy likely doesn't affect me directly as my school doesn't have a worksite health clinic.
- I appreciate the expansion of HSA use but can’t benefit from the other components.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Sales Executive (Dallas, TX)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having pre-tax contributions to our health services will help maximize my HSA usage.
- It will provide better access to preventive care, which is useful.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Healthcare Worker (Nashville, TN)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This won't change much for me as my workplace benefits cover similar needs.
- It's still good for others, especially tech and large companies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy will help me as I face more routine check-ups and chronic care needs.
- Having additional coverage and savings flexibility is beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Marketing Specialist (Boston, MA)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It doesn’t directly affect me, but the concept might influence the perks our company decides to adopt.
- HSAs are already a staple in my financial planning.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
IT manager (Denver, CO)
Age: 37 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I find the idea of increased HSA usefulness appealing as it helps manage my medical expenses better.
- Enabling pre-tax contributions broadly will ease some financial pressures.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Finance Analyst (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our company doesn't have an on-site clinic, but expanding HSA accessibility is still positive.
- I hope it might lead to new clinic developments within the company.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $700000000)
Year 2: $520000000 (Low: $310000000, High: $720000000)
Year 3: $540000000 (Low: $320000000, High: $740000000)
Year 5: $580000000 (Low: $340000000, High: $780000000)
Year 10: $680000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $880000000)
Year 100: $1000000000 (Low: $600000000, High: $1200000000)
Key Considerations
- The tax loss due to pre-tax HSA contributions will depend heavily on actual uptake by employees, which can vary widely.
- Integration of worksite health services with the broader healthcare system could impact the net cost.
- The policy might encourage more employers to offer worksite clinics as a benefit, affecting the long-term cost-efficiency.