I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3297 
To extend Federal funding for operation of State high risk health insurance 
pools, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 14, 2005 
Mr. FORD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 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 juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To extend Federal funding for operation of State high risk 
health insurance pools, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘State High Risk Pool 
Funding Extension Act of 2005’’.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF FUNDING FOR OPERATION OF 
STATE 
HIGH 
RISK 
HEALTH 
INSURANCE 
POOLS. 
(a) EXTENSION OF SEED GRANTS.—Section 2745 of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–45) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), in the subsection heading 
by inserting ‘‘EXTENSION OF’’ before ‘‘SEED’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ‘‘and 
$15,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2005 and 
2006’’ after ‘‘$20,000,000 for fiscal year 2003’’. 
(b) FUNDS FOR OPERATIONS.—Section 2745 of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–45) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in the subsection heading by striking 
‘‘MATCHING’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(2) ALLOTMENT.—The amounts appropriated 
under subsection (c)(2) for a fiscal year shall be 
made available to the States (or the entities that op-
erate the high risk pool under applicable State law) 
as follows: 
‘‘(A) An amount equal to 50 percent of the 
appropriated amount for the fiscal year shall be
allocated in equal amounts among each eligible 
State that applies for assistance under this sub-
section. 
‘‘(B) An amount equal to 25 percent of the 
appropriated amount for the fiscal year shall be 
allocated among the States so that the amount 
provided to a State bears the same ratio to 
such available amount as the number of unin-
sured individuals in the State bears to the total 
number of uninsured individuals in all States 
(as determined by the Secretary). 
‘‘(C) An amount equal to 25 percent of the 
appropriated amount for the fiscal year shall be 
allocated among the States so that the amount 
provided to a State bears the same ratio to 
such available amount as the number of individ-
uals enrolled in health care coverage through 
the qualified high risk pool of the State bears 
to the total number of individuals so enrolled 
through qualified high risk pools in all States 
(as determined by the Secretary).’’; and 
(2) 
in 
subsection 
(c)(2), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$40,000,000’’ and all that follows through the pe-
riod and inserting ‘‘$75,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2005 through 2009 to make allotments under 
subsection (b)(2).’’. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—Section 2745 of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–45) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (d), by inserting after 
‘‘2744(c)(2)’’ the following: ‘‘, except that with re-
spect to subparagraph (A) of such section a State 
may elect to provide for the enrollment of eligible in-
dividuals through an acceptable alternative mecha-
nism,’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) 
STANDARD
RISK
RATE.—In 
subsection 
(b)(1)(A), the term ‘standard risk rate’ means a rate— 
‘‘(1) determined under the State high risk pool 
by considering the premium rates charged by other 
health insurers offering health insurance coverage to 
individuals in the insurance market served; 
‘‘(2) that is established using reasonable actu-
arial techniques; and 
‘‘(3) that reflects anticipated claims experience 
and expenses for the coverage involved.’’. 
SEC. 3. IOM STUDY OF DEVELOPING STANDARD MODEL 
FOR CERTIFICATION OF UNINSURABILITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall enter into a contract with the Insti-