Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions and Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2019

Bill: 116-hr-1884
Sponsor: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6]
Introduced: 2019-03-26 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Appropriations
Comprehensive health care
Congressional oversight
Consumer affairs
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Labor
Employee benefits and pensions
Executive agency funding and structure
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 information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Income tax credits
Insurance industry and regulation
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Prescription drugs
Research administration and funding
Small business
State and local finance
State and local government operations
Tax treatment of families
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-26
text: 

Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions and Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2019

 
This bill revises various requirements for private health insurance plans and associated plan-holder cost sharing. Specifically, the bill increases premium assistance for low-income households and specifies that the coverage affordability requirements for employer-sponsored plans extend to family members of employees based on the employee's required contribution as a percentage of the employee's income.
 
Further, the bill prohibits specified agency actions that would weaken the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) with respect to (1) association health plans; (2) short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans; and (3) state applications to waive certain PPACA provisions. The bill also increases the minimum coverage requirements for private health insurance plans and requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to promote the availability of such plans. The health coverage navigator program also is revised to prioritize community and consumer-focused nonprofits and facilitate enrollment in federally supported insurance programs such as Medicaid. The bill establishes a fund for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide cost assistance to individuals who are enrolled in qualified health plans.
 
 Additionally, the bill provides new and additional grant funding for states to (1) plan and establish health insurance exchanges, (2) provide consumer assistance about available health insurance plans and coverage, and (3) increase health insurance plan enrollment. HHS also must report on the annual expenditure of user fees collected through federally facilitated exchanges.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2019-03-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2019-03-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, 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: 2019-03-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, 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: 2019-03-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, 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: 2019-03-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-03-26
text: Introduced in House