OPTION Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-3889
Sponsor: Rep. Broun, Paul C. [R-GA-10]
Introduced: 2009-10-21 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Consumer affairs
Disability and health-based discrimination
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employee benefits and pensions
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Intergovernmental relations
Licensing and registrations
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare
Prescription drugs
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
State and local government operations
State and local taxation
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: 
Offering Patients True Individualized Options Act of 2009 or the OPTION Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) eliminate restrictions on the tax deduction for medical expenses; (2) expand health care savings accounts (HSAs) and increase the maximum contribution level for such accounts; (3) allow physicians a tax credit for providing charity care; and (4) extend continuation coverage under COBRA (health insurance continuation benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985).
 
Amends title II (Federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Benefits) of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a procedure to enroll a Medicare Part A beneficiary in the Medicare Reform Voucher Program to buy private health insurance.
 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow certified medical professionals to assess the nature and extent of an emergency room patient's illness or injury to determine whether an emergency medical condition exists.
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the sale and purchase of health insurance policies across state lines. Sets forth requirements for and restrictions on such policies.
 
Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2009 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for establishment and governance of association health plans (AHPs), which are privately-sponsored group health plans that meet certain ERISA certification requirements. 
 
Establishes the Association Health Plan Fund to be used by the Secretary of Labor to make payments to an insurer to maintain coverage for a plan if there is a reasonable expectation that, without such payments, claims would not be satisfied by reason of termination of coverage.
 
Allows a state to impose a contribution tax on an association health plan that commences operations in such state after the enactment of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-10-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: Referred to House Ways and Means
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: Referred to House Education and Labor
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and 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 jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: Referred to House Energy and Commerce
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H11572-11574)
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-10-21
text: Introduced in House