Legislation Proposed to Expand Group Health Plan Coverage

The Family Plus Health Care Act of 2022 (H.R. 6508), introduced by Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) in the House of Representatives, aims to expand group health plan coverage by requiring plans to offer participants the option of enrolling their parents in the plan, as long as the parents are not eligible to enroll in either Medicare or Medicaid.

The cost of the parents’ group health plan coverage would be excluded from the gross income of the employee participating in the plan. Self-employed individuals would be allowed to claim a deduction for the amount that they paid to insure their parents.

The term ‘parent’ includes an individual’s biological parent, a stepparent, and a parent by adoption, but does not include a spouse’s parent. If enacted, this legislation would apply to any amounts paid or incurred after the bill’s date of enactment.