Coverage Protection Act of 2013

To ensure that individuals who attempted to, or who are enrolled in, qualified health plans offered through an Exchange have continuity of coverage, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Coverage Protection Act of 2013 2. Authority to provide timely coverage for individuals who were unable to enroll in a qualified health plan (a) In general In the case of an individual who enrolls in a qualified health plan offered through an Exchange established under title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( Public Law 111–148 (1) Attempted timely enrollment The individual submits, not later than January 31, 2014, an attestation (in such form and manner as the Secretary may require) that the individual— (A) made reasonable, good-faith attempts, but was unable, to successfully enroll in such a plan through an Exchange before December 23, 2013; or (B) was initially determined through an Exchange to be eligible to enroll in a Medicaid plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act but is not eligible to so enroll in such a Medicaid plan and, because of such incorrect eligibility determination, was subsequently unable to enroll in a qualified health plan before December 23, 2013. (2) Payment of premiums The individual pays, section 36B (b) Application for purposes of premium assistance, reduced cost-Sharing, and individual responsibility Coverage provided under a qualified health plan for January and February of 2014 under subsection (a) shall be counted as coverage under such a plan by or through an Exchange for such months for all purposes, including the following: (1) Premium assistance Section 36B (2) Cost-sharing reductions Section 1402 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( 42 U.S.C. 18071 (3) Individual responsibility requirement Section 5000A 3. Transitional use of receipt of insurance payment as alternative to health insurance card for Exchange plans (a) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall require a health insurance issuer that offers a qualified health plan through an Exchange under title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( Public Law 111–148 (1) to allow in-network providers in such plan to treat, for purposes of coverage under the plan, a receipt of payment of premiums by an individual enrolled under the plan for January or February 2014 who has not received a health insurance card from the issuer in the same manner as if such receipt were such a health insurance card issued to such individual by the issuer for services furnished during such month; and (2) to notify such in-network providers of the policy under paragraph (1). (b) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed as precluding a health care provider from directly seeking to verify the status of the enrollment of an individual in a qualified health plan offered through an Exchange by contacting the issuer of such plan.

Summary: Coverage Protection Act of 2013 - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in the case of an individual who enrolls in a qualified health plan offered through a health care exchange established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) before February 1, 2014, to require the issuer of the plan to treat such individual as enrolled as of December 23, 2013, if the individual: attests, not later than January 31, 2014, to making reasonable, good-faith attempts to successfully enroll in such a plan through an exchange before December 23, 2013, or was initially determined through an exchange to be eligible to enroll in a Medicaid plan but is not eligible to so enroll in such a plan and, because of the incorrect eligibility determination, was subsequently unable to enroll in a qualified plan before December 23, 2013; and pays, not later than January 31, 2014, the monthly premiums for the plan in which such individual enrolls for January and February 2014, taking into account the amount of any premium assistance made available under the Internal Revenue Code. Counts coverage provided under a qualified plan for January and February 2014 under this Act as coverage under such a plan by or through an exchange for such months for all purposes, including premium assistance, PPACA cost-sharing reductions, and the requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage. Directs the Secretary to require a health insurance issuer that offers a qualified plan through an exchange to: allow in-network providers in the plan to treat a receipt of payment of premiums by an individual enrolled for January or February 2014 who has not received a health insurance card from the issuer in the same manner as if such receipt were such a health insurance card issued for services furnished during such month; and notify such in-network providers of that policy.