Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., leaves the Capitol Hill Club after a meeting of the House Republican Conference in Washington, March 25, 2025 (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
"Imagine, instead of getting your insurance through your employer, you go out and create your own account. We'll call it a MAHA account, OK? And in that account, your employer would then deposit the money that they would normally pay to subsidize your premium," Burlison said, referring to the Make America Healthy Again slogan used by the health-focused wing of the GOP.
Burlison’s proposal, which follows calls from President Donald Trump to reroute federal dollars for health insurance assistance straight to policyholders, would require a complete overhaul of how HSAs currently work. His proposal is also emblematic of efforts to eliminate current policy restrictions Republicans believe limit consumer choice and flexibility when it comes to healthcare.
Under their current framework, HSAs provide users with a tax-free account that can be set up with a bank or insurance company.
"An HSA is a tax-exempt trust or custodial account you set up with a qualified HSA trustee to pay or reimburse certain medical expenses you incur," the IRS states.
Every year, the IRS puts out a list of expenses HSA holders can use their accounts for. These can include anything from massage therapy guns to Warby Parker glasses.
The list currently excludes health insurance.
A worker stocks angus beef top sirloin filets in the meat section of a grocery store in Washington, Oct. 25, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
"At the end of the day, this is such a new concept that I think it's probably best to just leave HSAs intact and create this new product," Burlison said.
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Burlison’s idea on HSAs is just one of many ideas Republicans have floated as an increasing number of lawmakers have wanted to address rising healthcare costs while also balancing questions about government involvement in subsidizing those costs.
Leo Briceno is a politics reporter for the congressional team at Fox News Digital. He was previously a reporter with World Magazine.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-pitches-health-savings-accounts-on-steroids-americans-could-use-buy-insurance-steak