II 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1899 

To require every American to have health insurance coverage. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 30, 2007 

Mr. CARDIN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To require every American to have health insurance coverage. 

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 ‘‘Universal Health Cov5 erage Act of 2007’’. 

6 SEC. 2. UNIVERSAL HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR 

7 ALL AMERICANS. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Each individual residing in the 

9 United States who is a citizen or national of the United 

10 States, or an alien lawfully admitted to the United States 

11 for permanent residence shall have qualified health cov12 erage. 


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1 (b) QUALIFIED HEALTH COVERAGE DEFINED.—For 

2 purposes of this section, the term ‘‘qualified health cov3 erage’’ means coverage under any of the following: 

4 (1) The medicare, medicaid, or SCHIP pro5 gram, under title XVIII, XIX, or XXI of the Social 

6 Security Act. 

7 (2) A program of veterans’ medical care under 

8 chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code. 

9 (3) Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code. 

10 (4) The Federal employees health benefits pro11 gram under chapter 89 of title 5, United States 

12 Code. 

13 (5) A program of the Indian Health Service. 

14 (6) A group health plan (as defined in section 

15 733(a)(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Secu16 rity Act of 1974), including a retiree health plan. 

17 (7) A health plan described in subsection (d). 

18 (8) Any other qualified health coverage as the 

19 State involved finds appropriate. 

20 (c) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (a) shall not apply to 

21 an individual who is opposed for religious reasons to 

22 health coverage, including an individual who declines 

23 health plan coverage due to a reliance on healing using 

24 spiritual means through prayer alone. 


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1 (d) LOW COST PLANS.—The Secretary of Health and 

2 Human Services, in consultation with the National Asso3 ciation of Insurance Commissioners, shall develop at least 

4 3 types of low-cost health insurance plans for each State 

5 and the District of Columbia that shall be made available, 

6 on a guaranteed-issue basis, to all individuals with in7 comes below 400 percent of the Federal poverty line (as 

8 determined by the Secretary). 

9 (e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (a) shall take ef10 fect on January 1, 2009. 

11 SEC. 3. EXCISE TAX FOR ENFORCEMENT AND FUNDING OF 

12 UNCOMPENSATED CARE HOSPITAL POOL. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle D of the Internal Rev14 enue Code of 1986 (relating to miscellaneous excise taxes) 

15 is amended by adding at the end the following new chap16 ter: 

17 ‘‘CHAPTER 48—UNINSURED EXCISE TAX 

18 FOR UNCOMPENSATED CARE HOS19 PITAL POOL 

‘‘Sec. 5000A. Uninsured excise tax for uncompensated care hospital pool. 

20 ‘‘SEC. 5000A. UNINSURED EXCISE TAX FOR UNCOMPEN21 SATED CARE HOSPITAL POOL. 

22 ‘‘There is hereby imposed on each individual who for 

23 any month (or portion thereof) is required, but fails, to 

24 have qualified health coverage in accordance with section 


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1 2(a) of the Universal Health Coverage Act of 2007 for 

2 any continuous period that is greater than 60 days a tax 

3 in an amount equal to the average monthly premium 

4 amount for qualified health coverage in the State in which 

5 the individual resides (as determined pursuant to regula6 tions promulgated by the Secretary) for each such 

7 month.’’. 

8 (b) APPLICATION OF TAX FOR AUTOMATIC ENROLL9 MENT.—Amounts collected under section 5000A of the In10 ternal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be credited to a fund 

11 administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Serv12 ices and shall be available in advance of appropriations 

13 for the Secretary to cover the cost of administering a pro14 gram to automatically enroll individuals who pay a tax 

15 under such section in health care coverage under one of 

16 the three lowest cost qualified health coverage products 

17 offered in the State involved. Such coverage may include 

18 enrollment in any program described in section 2(b) if the 

19 individual is eligible for such enrollment. The Secretary 

20 shall carry out the program under this subsection in con21 sultation and coordination with State governors. 

22 (c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of chapters 

23 for subtitle D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 

24 amended by adding at the end the following new item: 

Chapter 48. Uninsured excise tax for uncompensated care hospital pool. 


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1 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

2 this section shall take effect on January 1, 2009. 

Æ 


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