Budget Process Accountability Act

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an exemption to the individual mandate to maintain health coverage for individuals residing in counties with fewer than 2 health insurance issuers offering plans on an Exchange; to require Members of Congress and congressional staff to abide by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act with respect to health insurance coverage; and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Budget Process Accountability Act 2. Modifications to exemption from requirement to maintain health coverage (a) Exemption for individuals in areas with fewer than 2 issuers offering plans on an exchange Section 5000A(e) (6) Individuals in areas with fewer than 2 issuers offering plans on an exchange (A) In general Any applicable individual for any period during a calendar year if there are fewer than 2 health insurance issuers offering qualified health plans on an Exchange for such period in the county in which the applicable individual resides. (B) Aggregation rules For purposes of subparagraph (A), all health insurance issuers treated as a single employer under subsection (a) or (b) of section 52, or subsection (m) or (o) of section 414, shall be treated as a single health insurance issuer. . (b) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to months beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act. 3. Health insurance coverage for certain congressional staff and members of the executive branch Section 1312(d)(3)(D) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( 42 U.S.C. 18032(d)(3)(D) (1) by striking the subparagraph heading and inserting the following: (D) Members of Congress, congressional staff, and political appointees in the exchange ; (2) in clause (i), in the matter preceding subclause (I)— (A) by striking and congressional staff with , congressional staff, the President, the Vice President, and political appointees with (B) by striking or congressional staff shall , congressional staff, the President, the Vice President, or a political appointee shall (3) in clause (ii)— (A) in subclause (II), by inserting after Congress, of a committee of Congress, or of a leadership office of Congress, (B) by adding at the end the following: (III) Political appointee The term political appointee (aa) is employed in a position described under sections 5312 through 5316 of title 5, United States Code (relating to the Executive Schedule); (bb) is a limited term appointee, limited emergency appointee, or noncareer appointee in the Senior Executive Service, as defined under paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively, of section 3132(a) of title 5, United States Code; or (cc) is employed in a position in the executive branch of the Government of a confidential or policy-determining character under schedule C of subpart C of part 213 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations. ; and (4) by adding at the end the following: (iii) Government contribution No Government contribution under section 8906 of title 5, United States Code, shall be provided on behalf of an individual who is a Member of Congress, a congressional staff member, the President, the Vice President, or a political appointee for coverage under this paragraph. (iv) Limitation on amount of tax credit or cost sharing An individual enrolling in health insurance coverage pursuant to this paragraph shall not be eligible to receive a tax credit under section 36B (v) Limitation on discretion for designation of staff Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a Member of Congress shall not have discretion in determinations with respect to which employees employed by the office of such Member are eligible to enroll for coverage through an Exchange. (vi) Clarification The terms small employer qualified employers .

Summary: Budget Process Accountability Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt individuals from the requirement to maintain minimum essential health care coverage if they reside in a county where fewer than two health insurers offer insurance on the health insurance exchange. This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to extend the requirement for participation in a health insurance exchange to the President, Vice President, executive branch political appointees, and employees of congressional committees and leadership offices of Congress. Currently, this requirement applies to Members of Congress and their staff. The government is prohibited from contributing to or subsidizing the health insurance coverage of officials and employees subject to this requirement.