Congresswomen Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Claudia Tenney (NY-24) reintroduced their bipartisan People and Animals Well-being (PAW) Act to increase access to pet insurance. The bill would make veterinary care expenses eligible under tax-advantaged health care spending accounts, specifically Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).
Additionally, the legislation supports veterans and people living with disabilities by imposing no limit on veterinary care expenses for service animals and by ensuring that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) relies on an up-to-date federal definition of “service animal” for HSA and FSA expenses, which includes animals trained to assist with both physical and mental disabilities.
“Pets are more than just animals – in many households, they’re family members,” said Congresswoman Ross. “While household costs continue to rise, paying for pet insurance can become a financial burden that people can’t afford. As a dog owner, I’m proud to introduce our bipartisan PAW Act, which will ensure animal lovers can afford care for their pets by including veterinary care and pet insurance as eligible expenses under HSAs and FSAs. I’m grateful for Congresswoman Tenney’s continued partnership to make sure all families can afford insurance for their furry friends.”
“Pets and service animals are valued members of our families and lives, with many benefits including increasing our lifespan, reducing stress, and promoting physical activity. It is important we ensure pet owners can afford quality care. The PAWS Act allows pet owners to use HSAs and FSAs for veterinary care, ensuring all pet owners can keep their beloved pets and service animals healthy,” said Congresswoman Tenney.
“The AVMA-endorsed People and Animals Well-being (PAW) Act supports both animal and human health by highlighting the benefits of pet ownership and expanding access to pet care,” said Dr. Sandra Faeh, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “By making veterinary care and pet health insurance eligible expenses under Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts, this legislation helps make pet care more affordable, improves access for service animals, and strengthens efforts to detect and prevent zoonotic diseases. We appreciate the leadership of Reps. Tenney and Ross on this important issue and urge Congress to pass the PAW Act without delay.”
“MetLife strongly supports the PAW Act, which helps pet parents address unexpected veterinary expenses resulting from a pet’s illness or accident,” said Brian Jorgensen, Head of Pet Insurance, MetLife. “This bill is a critical step towards promoting the health and well-being of pets by helping pet parents access the care their pets need while protecting their financial wellness. We are proud to support a bill that aligns with MetLife’s purpose of helping people care for their loved ones, both human and animal.”
“We salute Representatives Claudia Tenney and Deborah Ross for their leadership in introducing common-sense legislation to make veterinary care more affordable for millions of pet owners,” said Steven Feldman, President of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute. “Representatives Tenney and Ross are champions of the human-animal bond, recognizing that pets and service animals positively contribute to the health and wellbeing of American families.”
The PAW Act would allow pet owners to use their HSA or FSA accounts to pay for up to $1,000 for veterinary care or a pet health insurance plan, while enabling an unlimited amount of these funds for service animals. This bill maintains current HSA and FSA contribution limits, ensuring that there will be little to no impact on federal expenditures.