Washington, D.C.—New legislation introduced in the Senate would expand health savings accounts (HSA), health reimbursement arrangements, and flexible spending accounts (FSA) to cover dietary supplements, according to a press release from the Natural Products Association (NPA).

This legislation, introduced by Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), is part of NPA’s effort to expand access to nutritional supplements for underserved communities through programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

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Supplements can play an important role in supporting an individual’s health; specifically, zinc deficiency and vitamin D deficiency can compromise immune function and increase risk of infection. The press release notes that, additionally, 61% of adults and 90% of teens do not get enough magnesium.

“We need to do more to ensure that our most vulnerable communities have access to nutritional supplements to support their health during this pandemic,” said Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., President and CEO of NPA, in the press release. “This common-sense solution is something that will benefit everyone, not only as we turn the corner in this pandemic but also in the long run.  Thank you to Senator Cramer and his staff for their support and wanting to expand choices for hundreds of millions of Americans who use supplements to stay healthy in this challenging time.”