Lynn Jenkins: “I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his leadership on this very important issue. Mr. Speaker, last…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his leadership on this very important issue. Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, H.R. 5842, the Restoring Access to Medication Act, which I authored and introduced, passed out of the full Ways and Means Committee markup with bipartisan support. It is now included in this bill that is being considered on the floor today. We all know the President's health care law is full of pitfalls that make health care more expensive for average Americans. While we await the Supreme Court's ruling on constitutionality of the entire health care overhaul, there is bipartisan, bicameral agreement that requiring folks to have a doctor's prescription to buy medicine as simple as Advil or cough syrup with their health savings account or flexible savings account is simply wrong. This provision would repeal the unnecessary and punitive ObamaCare limitation on reimbursement of over-the-counter medications from health FSAs, HRAs, and Archer MSAs that took effect back in 2011. Given the economic climate where jobs are hard to find, families are struggling to make ends meet; and when every dollar counts, this provision ensures that consumers have the flexibility to use these savings accounts as they see fit to purchase over-the-counter medications they need, exactly when they need them. Republicans are committed to looking for commonsense solutions that address the chief concern facing both families and employers: costs.…”