Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-961
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2019-04-01
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Health care costs and insurance

Income tax credits
Latest action: action_date: 2019-04-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-04-01
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act of 2019</b></p> <p>This bill expands taxpayer eligibility for the refundable tax credit for the cost of health care insurance and increases the size of the tax credit for all income brackets.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 961 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 1, 2019 Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Tester , Mr. King , and Ms. Harris ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand eligibility for the refundable credit for coverage under a qualified health plan.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act of 2019 . 2. Increase in eligibility for credit (a) In general Subparagraph (A) of section 36B(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking 400 percent and inserting 800 percent . (b) Applicable percentages (1) In general Subparagraph (A) of section 36B(b)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as follows the table headings is amended to read as follows: (A) Applicable percentage The applicable percentage for any taxable year shall be the percentage such that the applicable percentage for any taxpayer whose household income is within an income tier specified in the following table shall increase, on a sliding scale in a linear manner, from the initial premium percentage to the final premium percentage specified in such table for such income tier: In the case of household income (expressed as a percent of poverty line) within the following income tier: The initial premium percentage is— The final premium percentage is— Up to 133 percent 1.75 2.0 133 percent up to 150 percent 2.0 3.5 150 percent up to 200 percent 3.5 5.5 200 percent up to 250 percent 5.5 7.25 250 percent up to 300 percent 7.25 8.5 300 percent up to 400 percent 8.5 9.0 400 percent up to 550 percent 9.0 10.0 550 percent up to 700 percent 10.0 11.0 700 percent up to 800 percent 11.0 12.5. . (2) Conforming amendments relating to affordability of coverage (A) Subparagraph (C) of section 36B(c)(2) of such Code is amended by striking clause (iv). (B) Paragraph (4) of section 36B(c) of such Code is amended by striking subparagraph (F). (c) Limitation on recapture Clause (i) of section 36B(f)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended— (1) by striking 400 percent and inserting 800 percent ; (2) by striking the period at the end of the last row of the table; and (3) by adding at the end of the table the following new rows: At least 400 percent but less than 600 percent $3,500  At least 600 percent but less than 800 percent $4,500. . (d) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019.