Health Care Protection Act

Bill: 116-hr-6810
Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Rodney [R-IL-13]
Introduced: 2020-05-12 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Business records
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Congress
Department of the Treasury
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employee benefits and pensions
Employment taxes
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Income tax exclusion
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-12
text: 

Health Care Protection Act

 
 This bill creates a special health insurance enrollment period and provides premium assistance for the COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) continuation of health coverage program in response to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. First, the bill establishes a 30-day special enrollment period for individuals who do not have coverage to enroll in a qualified health insurance plan through a health insurance exchange.
 
 Second, the bill provides premium assistance for individuals who have been terminated from employment and elected COBRA continuation coverage between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. The bill treats 100% of the premium payments as paid for such individuals for not more than six months. Further, individuals who have not elected COBRA coverage but would be eligible for premium assistance under this bill if they had enrolled in COBRA may enroll in such coverage for 60 days after this bill is enacted. Premium assistance is phased out for individuals earning more than $125,000.
 
 Additionally, the bill requires employers to provide eligible individuals specified written notice about the premium assistance program, including, among other information, available health plan enrollment options and the date that such assistance expires.
 
 The Department of the Treasury must reimburse employers, group health plans, and insurance issuers through a payroll tax credit or refund, as applicable, for unpaid premiums that were treated as paid under this bill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-12
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2020-05-12
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2020-05-12
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2020-05-12
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-05-12
text: Introduced in House