I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3319 

To modernize the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 23, 2013 

Mr. ISSA (for himself, Mr. CLAY, and Mr. MULVANEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined 

by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 

within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To modernize the Federal Employees Health Benefits 

Program, and for other purposes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Equal Healthcare Ac5 cess Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ACCESS TO FEDERAL HEALTH INSURANCE. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subpart G of part III of title 5, 

8 United States Code, is amended— 


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1 (1) by redesignating chapters 89A and 89B as 

2 chapters 89B and 89C, respectively; and 

3 (2) by inserting after chapter 89 the following: 

4 ‘‘CHAPTER 89A—HEALTH INSURANCE FOR 

5 NON-FEDERAL EMPLOYEES 

‘‘Sec. 

‘‘8921. Definitions. 

‘‘8922. Health insurance program. 

‘‘8923. Contracting requirement. 

‘‘8924. Eligibility to enroll. 

‘‘8925. Exceptions to provisions incorporated by reference. 

‘‘8926. Coordination and application provisions. 

6 ‘‘§ 8921. Definitions 

7 ‘‘For purposes of this chapter— 

8 ‘‘(1) any term used in this chapter which is de9 fined in section 8901 shall have the same meaning 

10 as is given such term under such section; and 

11 ‘‘(2) the term ‘Office’ means the Office of Per12 sonnel Management. 

13 ‘‘§ 8922. Health insurance program 

14 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Office shall administer a 

15 health insurance program for non-Federal employees in 

16 accordance with this chapter. 

17 ‘‘(b) REGULATIONS.—The Office shall prescribe reg18 ulations under which, except as otherwise provided in this 

19 chapter and to the maximum extent practicable, the provi20 sions of chapter 89 shall be applied for purposes of car21 rying out this chapter. 


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1 ‘‘§ 8923. Contracting requirement 

2 ‘‘The Office shall, not later than 9 months after the 

3 date of the enactment of the Equal Healthcare Access Act, 

4 enter into contracts with qualified carriers to make health 

5 benefits plans available under this chapter. 

6 ‘‘§ 8924. Eligibility to enroll 

7 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Any qualified individual may en8 roll in a health benefits plan under this chapter. 

9 ‘‘(b) QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL DEFINED.—For pur10 poses of this section, the term ‘qualified individual’ means 

11 any individual other than an individual who is enrolled or 

12 eligible to be enrolled in a health benefits plan under chap13 ter 89, including as a family member. 

14 ‘‘§ 8925. Exceptions to provisions incorporated by ref15 erence 

16 ‘‘Notwithstanding any other provision of law— 

17 ‘‘(1) subscription charges for a health benefits 

18 plan under this chapter may differ between or 

19 among geographic regions; and 

20 ‘‘(2) an employer may, under arrangements sat21 isfactory to the Office— 

22 ‘‘(A) offer coverage under this chapter to 

23 its employees; and 

24 ‘‘(B) make a contribution toward the cost 

25 of such coverage. 


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1 ‘‘§ 8926. Coordination and application provisions 

2 ‘‘(a) COORDINATION.—A health benefits plan under 

3 this chapter shall be deemed to be a health plan offered 

4 through an Exchange established under the Patient Pro5 tection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111–148; 

6 124 Stat. 119) for purposes of section 1312 of such Act 

7 (42 U.S.C. 18032). 

8 ‘‘(b) APPLICATION.— 

9 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a qualified 

10 individual enrolled in a health benefits plan under 

11 this chapter— 

12 ‘‘(A) for purposes of section 36B of the In13 ternal Revenue Code of 1986, such plan shall 

14 be treated as a qualified health plan described 

15 in subsection (b)(2)(A) thereof that was en16 rolled in through an Exchange established by a 

17 State under section 1311 of the Patient Protec18 tion and Affordable Care Act; and 

19 ‘‘(B) for purposes of section 1402 of the 

20 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 

21 U.S.C. 18071), such plan shall be treated as a 

22 qualified health plan in the silver level of cov23 erage in the individual market offered through 

24 an Exchange. 

25 ‘‘(2) REGULATIONS.—The Office of Personnel 

26 Management, in consultation with the Secretary of 


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1 the Treasury, shall prescribe regulations necessary 

2 to carry out this subsection.’’. 

3 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of chapters 

4 for part III of title 5, United States Code, is amended— 

5 (1) in the item relating to chapter 89A, by 

6 striking ‘‘89A’’ and inserting ‘‘89B’’; 

7 (2) in the item relating to chapter 89B, by 

8 striking ‘‘89B’’ and inserting ‘‘89C’’; and 

9 (3) by inserting after the item relating to chap10 ter 89 the following: 

‘‘89A. Health Insurance for Non-Federal Employees .......... 8921’’. 

Æ 


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