Healthy Americans Act

Bill: 110-s-334
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2007-01-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Catastrophic health insurance
Child health
Chronically ill
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Drug advertising
Drug approvals
Drug industry
Drugs
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Employee health benefits
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to child health services
Federal employees
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Flexible benefit plans
Fringe benefits
Government Operations and Politics
Government employees' health insurance
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Health education
Health information systems
Health insurance
Higher education
Hospital care
Income tax
Insurance companies
Insurance premiums
Internet
Labor and Employment
Law
Living wills
Long-term care insurance
Medicaid
Medical economics
Medical education
Medical malpractice
Medical records
Medical supplies
Medically uninsured
Medicare
Physical examinations
Poor children
Prescription pricing
Preventive medicine
Quality of care
Retiree health benefits
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Standards
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Taxation
Telephone
Terminal care
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2007-01-18
text: 
Healthy Americans Act - Requires each adult individual to have the opportunity to purchase a Healthy Americans Private Insurance Plan (HAPI). Makes individuals who are not enrolled in another specified health plan and who are not opposed to coverage for religious reasons responsible for enrolling themselves and their dependent children in a HAPI plan offered through their state of residence. Sets forth penalties for failure to enroll. 
 
Establishes standardized coverage and state options for HAPI plans. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promulgate guidelines concerning the benefits, items, and services to be covered. Sets forth requirements for setting premiums. Requires the Secretary to establish the Healthy America Advisory Committee to provide annual recommendations concerning modifications to the benefits, items, and services required. 
 
Provides for school-based health centers.
 
Authorizes states to establish and operate a State Choices for Long-Term Care Program. 
 
Requires the Secretary to establish Chronic Care Education Centers.
 
Requires states to establish or designate a state Health Help Agency to carry out the administration of HAPI plans and to promote prevention and wellness for residents.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require employers and individuals to each make shared responsibility payments for HAPI plan premiums.
 
Sets forth requirements for health insurance issuers offering a HAPI plan.
 
Establishes the Healthy Americans Public Health Trust Fund for the payment of: (1) premium subsidies; and (2) bonuses to states for implementing medical malpractice reform.
 
Terminates federal health benefits coverage, including coverage provided under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program and the State Children's Health Insurance program (SCHIP).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11264-11267)
action_date: 2007-05-08
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5676-5677)
action_date: 2007-03-22
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3556)
action_date: 2007-01-31
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1363-1364)
action_date: 2007-01-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-01-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S757-763)
action_date: 2007-01-18
text: Introduced in Senate