Preventive Health Savings Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4464
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Economics and Public Finance
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-16: Referred to the House Committee on the Budget.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-14T08:08:36Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Preventive Health Savings Act (H.R. 4464) aims to update federal budgeting rules to better account for long-term cost savings from preventive health care measures. It encourages Congress to consider the future financial benefits of health policies that prevent diseases and promote wellness, even if those benefits appear after the standard budget projection periods.
Key Provisions
- Request for Scoring: The Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO, an independent agency that analyzes the fiscal impact of legislation) can be asked by the leaders of the Senate or House Budget Committees, along with the relevant subject-matter committees (e.g., health or finance committees), to evaluate if a proposed bill would lead to net reductions in federal spending over long-term periods due to preventive health care.
- Projections and Estimates: If the CBO Director finds such savings, they must include a description and estimate of those reductions in budget analyses. The CBO can extend projections to cover "budgetary outyears" (defined as two consecutive 10-year periods starting 10 years after the current fiscal year), even if this goes beyond usual time frames.
- Supplementary Nature: These long-term estimates are for informational purposes only and cannot be used to check if a bill complies with budget rules or enforcement mechanisms under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
- Definition of Preventive Health Care: Refers to actions aimed at protecting and promoting public, individual, or population health to prevent disease, disability, or early death. This includes evidence-based interventions supported by reliable data from sources like clinical trials, studies, or statistical models.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 202 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (commonly called the Congressional Budget Act) by adding a new subsection (h).
- Introduces a new process for scoring preventive health savings in extended time frames, which is not currently allowed under standard CBO projections (typically limited to 5–10 years from the current fiscal year).
- Limits these scores to supplementary information, ensuring they do not alter core budget enforcement rules like spending caps or reconciliation processes.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The CBO will have more flexibility in analyzing health-related bills, potentially leading to longer-term fiscal projections that highlight preventive care benefits. This could influence how agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services design programs.
- On Citizens: May promote policies that invest in preventive health (e.g., screenings, vaccinations, or wellness programs), potentially improving public health outcomes and reducing long-term healthcare costs for individuals and taxpayers.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could indirectly support U.S. health initiatives that align with global efforts on disease prevention, such as through organizations like the World Health Organization.
- Overall, it could shift federal budgeting toward valuing future savings, encouraging more preventive-focused legislation without immediately affecting short-term budgets.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Congress: Budget and health committees in the House and Senate, who can request these analyses to better evaluate bills.
- Congressional Budget Office (CBO): Gains authority to produce extended projections, increasing its role in health policy scoring.
- Healthcare and Public Health Advocates: Groups promoting preventive measures (e.g., doctors, nonprofits like the American Public Health Association) may benefit from easier demonstration of fiscal value.
- Federal Agencies and Taxpayers: Agencies implementing health programs and the public, who could see indirect benefits through cost-effective policies.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens the Congressional Budget Act by incorporating evidence-based preventive health scoring without overriding existing enforcement tools, maintaining the balance between fiscal discipline and policy innovation.
- Constitutional: No major issues; it operates within Congress's power to regulate its budgeting process under Article I of the U.S. Constitution.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (introduced by Republicans and Democrats) suggests broad appeal for promoting preventive care amid rising healthcare costs. It could reduce partisan gridlock on health bills by providing neutral, long-term fiscal data, though critics might argue it risks over-optimistic projections without guaranteed savings.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (19)
Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1], Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50], Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1], Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1], Rep. Murphy, Gregory F. [R-NC-3], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Kiley, Kevin [R-CA-3], Rep. Balderson, Troy [R-OH-12], Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8], Rep. Moore, Blake D. [R-UT-1], Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16], Rep. Yakym, Rudy [R-IN-2], Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11], Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40], Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-11], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45], Rep. Conaway, Herbert C. [D-NJ-3], Rep. Onder, Robert F. [R-MO-3]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-16: Referred to the House Committee on the Budget.
- 2025-07-16: Introduced in House
- 2025-07-16: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Preventive Health Savings Act — issued 2025-07-16 — PDF (4 pages)