Washington, DC—New data shared by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) shows expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), and similar vehicles to cover dietary supplements would have a modest budget impact while delivering major health benefits for consumers. Though previous congressional committee projections suggested that the policy would carry an outsized price tag, CRN said the assumptions that played a role in those forecasts exaggerated consumer uptake and misrepresented off-budget impacts.
CRN said the analysis (Cost Analysis of Potential Changes to Tax-Preferred Health Accounts to Permit Expenditures for Dietary Supplements), which was conducted by John Dunham & Associates, demonstrates that Americans could gain broad access to supplements through their tax-preferred health accounts at one-quarter of the cost that was previously suggested.
Key findings from the data on HSAs/FSAs:
“This analysis confirms what we’ve long believed,” said Steve Mister, President & CEO of CRN. “Expanding access to supplements through HSAs and FSAs is commonsense policy—affordable, practical, and good for public health.”
Millions of Americans already rely on dietary supplements to maintain health, prevent costly conditions, and address nutrition shortfalls, CRN said, and by unlocking tax-preferred accounts for supplement purchases, policymakers can:
- Empower families to take preventive health measures on their own terms.
- Close nutrient gaps that contribute to chronic conditions and rising healthcare costs.
- Align policy with consumer choice (CRN noted that these accounts already cover OTC medicines and first-aid supplies).
“Our data show clearly: original projections were off—the real numbers prove this policy is both affordable and beneficial,” Mister added.
The full report on HSAs/FSAs is available here for download here.
