Patient Fairness and Relief Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-633
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3]
Introduced: 2017-01-24
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions

Health care costs and insurance

Health care coverage and access
Latest action: action_date: 2017-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-01-24
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Patient Fairness and Relief Act of 2017</b></p> <p>This bill permits a health insurer that had in effect certain health insurance coverage in the individual market from January 1, 2013, through January 1, 2017, to continue to offer the coverage in the individual market outside of health insurance exchanges. This applies to coverage under the transitional policy of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Coverage under that policy does not need to comply with certain Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requirements, including guaranteed renewability and coverage for preexisting conditions.)</p> <p> This coverage is treated as a grandfathered health plan and thus fulfills an individual's requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 633 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 24, 2017 Mr. Harper introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committee on 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 A BILL To authorize health insurance issuers to continue to offer for sale health insurance coverage offered in the individual market before the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in satisfaction of the minimum essential health insurance coverage requirement, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Patient Fairness and Relief Act of 2017 . 2. Extending option to continue pre-ACA coverage (a) In general Notwithstanding any provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (including any amendment made by such Act or by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010), a health insurance issuer that had in effect health insurance coverage in the individual market as of January 1, 2013, and has continued such coverage through January 1, 2017, under CCIIO guidance (as defined in subsection (c)) may renew and continue to offer such coverage for sale on and after the date of the enactment of this Act in the individual market outside of an Exchange established under section 1311 or 1321 of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 18031 , 18041). (b) Treatment as grandfathered health plan in satisfaction of minimum essential coverage Health insurance coverage described in subsection (a) shall be treated as a grandfathered health plan for purposes of the amendment made by section 1501(b) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (c) CCIIO guidance defined In this section, the term CCIIO guidance means the letter issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on November 14, 2013, to the State Insurance Commissioners outlining a transitional policy for non-grandfathered coverage in the small group and individual health insurance markets, as subsequently extended and modified (including by a communication entitled Insurance Standards Bulletin Series—INFORMATION—Extension of Transitional Policy through Calendar Year 2017 issued on February 29, 2016, by the Director of the Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight of such Centers).