PAW Act Reintroduced to Congress
Washington, D.C. – The bipartisan People and Animals Well-being (PAW) Act has been reintroduced in Congress by Representatives Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Claudia Tenney (NY-24). The legislation seeks to improve access to pet insurance and veterinary care, particularly by making these expenses eligible under tax-advantaged health care spending accounts.
If passed, the PAW Act would allow pet owners to use Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) to cover veterinary care costs. “Pets are more than just animals – in many households, they’re family members. While household costs continue to rise, paying for pet insurance can become a financial burden that people can’t afford,” said Representative Ross.
Representative Tenney echoed this sentiment, stating, “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.”
According to the bill’s release, it would also support veterans and individuals with disabilities by eliminating limits on veterinary care expenses for service animals. Furthermore, the Act ensures the IRS uses an updated federal definition of service animals for HSA and FSA eligibility, including those trained to assist with physical and mental disabilities.
“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 Representative Tenney.
Under the PAW Act, pet owners could allocate up to $1,000 from their HSA or FSA accounts for pet health insurance or veterinary care. The bill also maintains current HSA and FSA contribution limits, aiming to minimize any impact on federal expenditures.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, and MetLife currently endorse the legislation.
“The AVMA-endorsed People and Animals Well-being (PAW) Act helps maintain animal and human health, promotes and emphasizes the health benefits of pet ownership, and allows more people to become pet owners,” stated Sandra Faeh, DVM, AVMA president.
“Ensuring veterinary care and pet health insurance are eligible expenses under Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts means more affordable care for pets, greater access to care for service animals, and an enhanced ability to detect and prevent zoonotic diseases. We thank Reps. Tenney and Ross for their leadership on this issue and urge Congress to promptly pass the PAW Act,” she concluded.
Reference
Ross, Tenney Introduce Bill to Make Pet Insurance More Affordable. News release. Deborah Ross 2nd District of North Carolina. March 21, 2025. Accessed March 27, 2025. https://ross.house.gov/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=06CCC11F-67AB-4A1F-9E2F-E8EA266897F1
