Increasing Health Coverage through HRAs Act

Bill: 116-hr-5224
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Bishop, Dan [R-NC-9]
Introduced: 2019-11-21
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Congressional oversight

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Labor

Department of the Treasury

Employee benefits and pensions

Health care costs and insurance

Health care coverage and access
Latest action: action_date: 2019-11-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-11-21
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Increasing Health Coverage through HRAs Act</strong></p> <p>This bill provides statutory authority for the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services rule dated June 20, 2019, which provides for the integration of health reimbursement arrangements and other account-based health plans with individual health insurance coverage or Medicare.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5224 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 21, 2019 Mr. Bishop of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. Budd , Mr. Westerman , and Mr. Smucker ) introduced the following bill; which was 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 A BILL To codify certain rules related to health reimbursement arrangements and other account-based group health plans.

1. Short title; findings (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Increasing Health Coverage through HRAs Act . (b) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Permitting health reimbursement arrangements to be used for the purchase of private insurance will allow more small businesses to offer access to quality health insurance coverage to their employees. (2) Permitting health reimbursement arrangements to be used for the purchase of private insurance will increase the number of Americans with health insurance coverage by as many as 800,000. (3) Permitting health reimbursement arrangements to be used for the purchase of private insurance will significantly increase the number of Americans obtaining coverage in the individual market, leading to more choice, stability, innovation, and lower premiums. (4) The administration rule permitting health reimbursement arrangements to be used for the purchase of private insurance ensures that those with pre-existing conditions will not pay more for coverage by requiring workers within each class of employment to be offered the same coverage regardless of health status. 2. Health Reimbursement Arrangements and Other Account-Based Group Health Plans The final rule (84 FR 28888) published on June 20, 2019, by the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (relating to health reimbursement arrangements and other account-based group health plans) shall have the full force and effect of law.