Washington, D.C., July 3, 2025 – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (H.R. 1), marking the final vote on a broad legislative package including health and tax policy. The following statement on the bill can be attributed to James Gelfand, President and CEO of ERIC.
“After months of work by the White House and Congress, the final bill headed to President Trump’s desk includes key provisions to modernize employer-sponsored health benefits, expand affordable care, and strengthen the health and financial security of America’s workforce. We’re also pleased the bill preserves the tax exclusion for employer-sponsored health insurance and the tax incentives Americans count on to save for retirement. ERIC will continue building on the bill’s foundational victories to deliver meaningful benefits changes for employees and their families, while guarding against efforts to weaken America’s private health and retirement systems.”
Notable provisions included in the bill:
- Sec. 71306 – Permanent Extension of Safe Harbor for Telehealth Services: Codifies the safe harbor provision allowing high-deductible health plans to cover telehealth services without a deductible.
- Sec. 71308 – Treatment of Direct Primary Care Service Arrangements: Allows patients enrolled in high-deductible health plans with health savings accounts (HSAs) to participate in direct primary care benefits, and to pay direct primary care fees from their HSAs.
- Sec. 70412 – Exclusion for employer payments of student loans: Makes permanent the exclusion for qualifying student loan payments made by employers. This provision would also adjust for inflation the maximum exclusion for taxable years beginning after 2026.