I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3051 
To enhance citizen awareness of insurance information and services by estab-
lishing that insurance documents issued to the public must be written 
clearly, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 25, 2009 
Mr. BRALEY of Iowa (for himself, Mr. TEAGUE, Mr. SCHAUER, Mr. PETERS, 
Mr. MASSA, Mr. WELCH, and Ms. SUTTON) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To enhance citizen awareness of insurance information and 
services by establishing that insurance documents issued 
to the public must be written clearly, 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 ‘‘Plain Language in 
Health Insurance Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to improve the effective-
ness and accountability of health insurance issuers, health 
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plans, and Federal health care programs by promoting 
clear communication that the public can understand and 
use. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COVERED DOCUMENT.—The term ‘‘covered 
document’’ means any publicly distributed document 
issued by a health insurance issuer, health plan, or 
Federal health care program. 
(2) PLAIN LANGUAGE.—The term ‘‘plain lan-
guage’’ means language that the intended audience 
can readily understand and use because that lan-
guage is clear, concise, well organized, and follows 
other best practices of plain language writing. 
SEC. 
4. 
RESPONSIBILITIES 
OF 
HEALTH 
INSURANCE 
ISSUERS, 
HEALTH 
PLANS, 
AND 
FEDERAL 
HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS. 
(a) REQUIREMENT TO USE PLAIN LANGUAGE IN 
NEW DOCUMENTS.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, any health insurance issuer, 
health plan, and Federal health care program shall use 
plain language in any covered document of the plan issued 
or substantially revised. 
(b) GUIDANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
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or health plan is in violation of subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall issue an order requiring the 
issuer or plan to submit a corrective action plan 
within 90 days for review and approval by the 
Secretary. 
(B) CIVIL PENALTIES.—Any health insur-
ance issuer or health plan that violates an order 
under subparagraph (A) or any provision of a 
corrective action plan approved by the Secretary 
pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be liable to 
the United States for a civil penalty in an 
amount not to exceed $10,000 for each such 
violation, and not to exceed $50,000 for all 
such violations adjudicated in a single pro-
ceeding. 
(2) FEDERAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS.—The 
Secretary, in consultation with other appropriate 
Federal departments and agencies, shall establish 
mechanisms to ensure that Federal health care pro-
grams meet the requirements of subsection (a). 
SEC. 5. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
(a) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives 
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and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions of the Senate a report that describes how the 
agency intends to meet the following objectives: 
(1) Communicating the requirements of this 
Act to health insurance issuers, health plans, and 
Federal health care programs. 
(2) Training Federal health care program em-
ployees to write in plain language. 
(3) Meeting the requirement under section 4(a). 
(4) Ensuring ongoing compliance with the re-
quirements of this Act. 
(5) Enforcing the requirements of this Act pur-
suant to section 4(c). 
(6) Designating a senior official to be respon-
sible for implementing the requirements of this Act. 
(b) ANNUAL AND OTHER REPORTS.—The Secretary 
shall submit reports on compliance with this Act to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate— 
(1) annually for the first 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act; and 
(2) once every 3 years thereafter. 
Æ 
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