American Health Care Solutions Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-3713
Sponsor: Rep. Rogers, Mike J. [R-MI-8]
Introduced: 2009-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Appropriations
Border security and unlawful immigration
Child health
Civil actions and liability
Computers and information technology
Consumer affairs
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Employee benefits and pensions
Evidence and witnesses
Financial crises and stabilization
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Immigrant health and welfare
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Intergovernmental relations
Judicial procedure and administration
Licensing and registrations
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicaid
Medical research
Medicare
Minority health
Nutrition and diet
Physical fitness and lifestyle
Poverty and welfare assistance
Prescription drugs
Sales and excise taxes
Small business
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
State and local government operations
State and local taxation
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2009-10-01
text: 
American Health Care Solutions Act of 2009 - Declares that nothing in this Act may be construed to authorize the federal government to ration health care for the American people.
 
Requires each state to mitigate the cost of high risk individuals in the state through: (1) a state reinsurance program; or (2) a state high risk pool.
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for the establishment and governance of individual membership associations (IMAs), which are organizations that offer health benefits coverage to members through health insurance issuer contracts. 
 
Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for establishment and governance of association health plans (AHPs), which are group health plans whose sponsors are trade, industry, professional, chamber of commerce, or similar business associations and which meet certain ERISA certification requirements. 
 
Directs that the laws of the state designated by a health insurance issuer (primary state) shall apply to individual health insurance coverage offered by that issuer in the primary state and in any other state (secondary state), but only if the coverage and issuer comply with conditions of this Act.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a small employer a health benefits plan implementation credit; (2) a tax deduction for long-term care insurance premiums; and (3) caregivers a tax credit for family members with long-term care needs.
 
Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) from using data from comparative effectiveness research to deny coverage of an item or service under a federal health care program.
 
Prohibits employers from being prevented from establishing premium discounts or rebates, or modifying copayments or deductibles, for employees who adhere to or participate in a health promotion or disease prevention (wellness) program that meets certain requirements.
 
Amends title XXI (Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP, formerly known as SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to require a CHIP plan to describe how it will provide for child health assistance with respect to targeted low-income children who have access to coverage under a group health plan. Requires alternative coverage options under CHIP. Applies such provisions to Medicaid. Requires verification of U.S. citizenship or nationality for Medicaid.
 
Revises provisions related to health savings accounts (HSAs), including to permit the use of HSAs to purchase health insurance.
 
Sets conditions for lawsuits arising from health care liability claims regarding health care goods or services or any medical product affecting interstate commerce. Establishes a statute of limitations and limits noneconomic and punitive damages.
 
Sets forth provisions related to Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse.
 
Rescinds unobligated balances of certain discretionary appropriations made available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Repeals provisions of such Act providing fiscal assistance to states and setting limits on executive compensation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-11-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2009-10-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2009-10-01
text: Referred to House Judiciary
action_date: 2009-10-01
text: Referred to House Appropriations
action_date: 2009-10-01
text: Referred to House Education and Labor
action_date: 2009-10-01
text: Referred to House Ways and Means
action_date: 2009-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, Appropriations, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2009-10-01
text: Referred to House Energy and Commerce
action_date: 2009-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-10-01
text: Introduced in House