II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1671 

To delay the implementation of the individual health coverage mandate under 

the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 7, 2013 

Mr. MANCHIN (for himself and Mr. KIRK) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To delay the implementation of the individual health coverage 

mandate under the Patient Protection and Affordable 

Care Act. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

4 Congress finds the following: 

5 (1) Congress must ensure that healthcare is af6 fordable and accessible. 

7 (2) Political disagreements must be set aside so 

8 that Congress and the President can work together 

9 to improve healthcare quality, access, and afford10 ability. 


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1 (3) Affordable access to preventative care can 

2 provide enormous benefits and reduce overall costs 

3 to all Americans, young and old. 

4 (4) Individuals and families are ultimately re5 sponsible and accountable for their own well-being 

6 and long-term health, and our laws should reflect 

7 this reality. 

8 (5) Subscribing to a healthy lifestyle should be 

9 a goal for all Americans, and Congress should act in 

10 an appropriate and responsible manner to make this 

11 goal achievable. 

12 (6) There are many positive reforms included in 

13 the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that 

14 are improving coverage, ending discrimination, and 

15 reducing costs. Requiring insurers to cover pre-exist16 ing conditions, maternity care, and emergency serv17 ices and allowing young adults to stay on their par18 ents’ plans until age 26 are examples of positive re19 forms in the Act that must continue to be imple20 mented. 

21 (7) Nevertheless, it is important to recognize 

22 when a new program is not meeting the high stand23 ards that the American people expect. So far, the 

24 Federal healthcare exchanges have failed, and we 

25 must deliver a better product. 


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1 (8) While every program must go through a 

2 transition period, no individual or family should be 

3 penalized while the problems in new healthcare ex4 changes are being addressed. 

5 (9) Congress should work toward fixing these 

6 flaws and ensuring the new programs are strong, 

7 while giving the American people a transition period. 

8 (10) Delaying the implementation of the Pa9 tient Protection and Affordable Care Act is not an 

10 appropriate or responsible action, but Congress 

11 should not hesitate to enact commonsense reforms, 

12 such as an individual mandate transition year, to 

13 improve this important legislation. 

14 SEC. 2. 1-YEAR DELAY OF INDIVIDUAL HEALTH COVERAGE 

15 MANDATE. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 5000A 

17 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by strik18 ing ‘‘2013’’ and inserting ‘‘2014’’. 

19 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

20 (1) Subparagraph (B) of section 5000A(c)(2) of 

21 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by 

22 striking clause (i) and by redesignating clauses (ii) 

23 and (iii) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively. 


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1 (2) Subparagraph (B) of section 5000A(c)(3) of 

2 such Code is amended by striking ‘‘$95 for 2014 

3 and’’. 

4 (3) Paragraph (1) of section 5000A(e) of such 

5 Code is amended— 

6 (A) by striking ‘‘8 percent’’ in subpara7 graph (A) and inserting ‘‘the applicable per8 centage’’, 

9 (B) by striking ‘‘INDEXING’’ in the heading 

10 of subparagraph (D) and inserting ‘‘APPLICA11 BLE PERCENTAGE’’, and 

12 (C) by striking ‘‘In the case of plan years 

13 beginning in any calendar year after 2014, sub14 paragraph (A) shall be applied by substituting 

15 for ‘8 percent’ ’’ and inserting ‘‘In the case of 

16 plan years beginning in any calendar year, the 

17 applicable percentage is’’. 

18 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

19 this section shall apply to months beginning after Decem20 ber 31, 2013. 

Æ 


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