HFA Secures Major Victory: Physical Activity Expenses Included in House Tax Package

Language treating physical activity expenses as eligible medical expenses has been officially included in the House Ways & Means reconciliation package.

This provision—a targeted version of the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act—is the only consumer health expense included in the package, and that’s no accident. It is the direct result of HFA’s persistent and strategic advocacy, representing the interests of its members at the highest levels of Congress.

Although this version of the bill reflects a narrower scope, the inclusion of fitness—exclusively—is a powerful signal that demonstrates that the work the HFA is doing on the industry's behalf is changing how lawmakers view the role of exercise in public health and the economy.

More than 125 industry leaders traveled to Washington, DC, last week for the 2025 HFA Fly-In and Advocacy Summit to advance the message about the importance of the PHIT act. Their presence on Capitol Hill came at a crucial moment and helped drive this provision’s inclusion.

This is just the first step, but it’s the hardest and most important one. Getting this provision into the base text of a major House tax package means the bill now has a pathway. But HFA’s work isn’t done, as it will:

• Work daily to ensure the language remains in the final bill as it moves through the legislative process.
• Fights to get it across the finish line and signed into law.

Success here will make it significantly easier to expand these provisions in the future, and the HFA is committed to doing just that.

This milestone underscores how today’s HFA is different. The association is focused on building real political capital, developing strong relationships with key lawmakers, and backing it up with smart, sustained advocacy and support. That’s what made this possible.