Murphy Proposes Paying For Gym Memberships Through HSAs

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, reintroduced a bill Wednesday that would allow people with tax-sheltered Health Savings Accounts or Flexible Spending Accounts to pay for gym memberships, personal training, or buy a tennis racket, basketball or treadmill out of those accounts. Expenditures would be limited to $1,000 per person or $2,000 for a family.

Spending on a child’s sports participation could also be covered. The Personal Health Investment Today bill was first introduced in 2006, but this is only the second Congressional session where there was a companion Senate bill.

It was estimated in 2014 the proposal would cost $2.5 billion over 10 years, according to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub association, one of the groups lobbying for the bill’s passage. Murphy said the investment would lead to savings on future medical expenses.

http://www.courant.com/politics/capitol-watch/hc-murphy-proposes-paying-for-gym-memberships-through-hsas-20170301-story.html

[font color=330099]It's debatable as to whether it would lead to savings on future medical expenses since there are a lot of fractured bones and muscular ailments related to being more physically active.[/font]