Representatives Greg Steube (R-FL) and Daniel Webster (R-FL) have introduced legislation to make charitable healthcare tax-deductible.
Specifically, the Helping Everyone Access Long Term Healthcare (HEALTH) Act creates a tax deduction for medical professionals who provide healthcare to patients eligible for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid.
However, sexual reassignment surgery, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and other gender alteration procedures are excluded.
"We are blessed to live in a country with thousands of doctors and physicians who give back to their communities," said Rep. Steube in a press release. "My HEALTH Act will honor their contributions by creating a tax deduction for the charity care they provide to lower-income families and children. Not only will this reaffirm our country's support for those who give back, but it will expand access to quality healthcare for families in need."
Rep. Webster further highlighted the bill, noting that it "helps more Americans have access to the care they need, from the doctor they choose, at a price they can afford."
"The HEALTH Act offers a new solution to provide healthcare services to low-income families and has the potential to help Medicaid and CHIP programs save on costs," Rep. Webster continued. "This legislation allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to provide pro-bono healthcare services to low-income individuals, including children in the CHIP programs, in exchange for a simple tax deduction."
Steube and Webster's bill comes on the heels of Representative Gus Bilirakis's (R-FL) bipartisan Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which ensures that Medicare payments accurately reflect current healthcare costs, especially in rural, underserved, and low-income areas.
Rep. Bilirakis described himself as "deeply concerned that our outdated physician payment system is contributing to reduced access and delays for seniors seeking the care they deserve." His bill "will help create greater stability for older Americans by strengthening access to services and supporting improved health outcomes."
