jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2007-09-27 00:00:00

Medicare Preventive Services Coverage Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) extend from six months to one year the eligibility period for the "Welcome to Medicare" physical examination; and (2) cover and waive cost-sharing for specified additional preventive screening services.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2007-10-17 00:00:00

Community Health Center Employee Health Coverage Act of 2007 - Expands the definition of "employee" for purposes of the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program to include an individual who is an employee of a federally qualified heath center, or a grantee providing technical or other assistance to such a center, that has elected to offer FEHB coverage. Requires such an employee to pay both the employee and agency contributions and administrative expenses.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2007-10-25 00:00:00

Preexisting Condition Exclusion Patient Protection Act of 2007 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to allow a group health plan to impose a preexisting condition exclusion only if: (1) such exclusion relates to a condition for which medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment was recommended or received within the 30-day period ending on the enrollment date; and (2) such exclusion extends not more than three months, or nine months for a late enrollee, after the enrollment date.Applies such requirement to coverage offered in the individual market. Allows an issuer of individual health insurance coverage to impose a preexisting condition exclusion for a period of not more than three months under certain circumstances.Revises provisions that prohibit health insurance issuers that offer health insurance coverage in the individual market from declining to offer coverage or imposing any preexisting condition exclusion on coverage to an eligible individual to remove eligibility requirements that require an individual to have: (1) elected COBRA continuation coverage, if it was offered; and (2) exhausted such continuation coverage, if elected.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2007-10-25 00:00:00

Equity for Our Nation's Self Employed Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow self-employed individuals to deduct health insurance costs in computing the tax on self-employment income.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2007-11-14 00:00:00

Medicare Hearing Health Care Enhancement Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for direct access to qualified audiologists for Medicare beneficiaries, without regard to any requirement that the beneficiary be under the care of (or referred by) a physician or other health care practitioner, or that such services are provided under the supervision of a physician or other health care practitioner. Covers audiology services under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance).
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2007-11-16 00:00:00

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing care and a variety of services (including counseling) to veterans residing in rural areas through a mobile system that transports Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical and benefits personnel, as well as equipment and other materials, to the areas designated for the program.Requires a mobile system to visit each designated area at least once each 45 days and remain present during each visit for at least 48 hours.Sets forth coordination requirements concerning identification of veterans who are not enrolled in, or otherwise being cared for by, the VA health care system, county and local veterans service offices, and use of community-based VA outpatient clinics.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2007-12-13 00:00:00

Health Care Choice Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide that the laws of the state designated by a health insurance issuer (primary state) shall apply to individual health insurance coverage offered by that issuer in the primary state and in any other state (secondary state), but only if the coverage and issuer comply with the conditions of this Act.Exempts issuers from any secondary state's laws that would prohibit or regulate the operation of the issuer in such state, subject to certain restrictions imposed by such state.Specifies the notice that an issuer must provide in any insurance coverage offered in a secondary state and at renewal of the policy.Requires each issuer issuing individual health insurance coverage in both primary and secondary states to submit to: (1) the insurance commissioners of such states a copy of the plan of operation or feasibility study and written notice of any change in its designation of its primary state and of its compliance with all the laws of the primary state; and (2) the insurance commission of each secondary state a copy of the issuer's quarterly financial statement that was submitted to the primary state.Prohibits an issuer from offering, selling, or issuing individual health insurance coverage in a secondary state if the state insurance commissioner does not use a risk-based capital formula for the determination of capital and surplus requirements for all issuers.Gives sole jurisdiction to the primary state to enforce the primary state's covered laws in the primary state and any secondary state. Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the effect of this Act on specified health insurance issues.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2008-02-14 00:00:00

Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to make available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for programs, functions, and activities of the Veterans Health Administration for FY2008 130 percent of the amount obligated during FY2006. Adjusts the amount provided for fiscal years after FY2008 based on the number of enrolled veterans and the number of other persons eligible but not enrolled who are provided care, multiplied by the per capita baseline amount for FY2006, as increased by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index. Prohibits the availability of such funds for: (1) construction, acquisition, or alteration of veterans' medical facilities (other than for repairs provided for before the date of enactment of this Act); or (2) grants for the construction of state home facilities for the furnishing of veterans' domiciliary, nursing home, and hospital care.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-03-03 00:00:00

Medicare Beneficiary Protection Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and maintain a Medicare plan complaint system. Requires non-network Medicare Advantage private fee-for-service plans to disclose providers that refuse to accept certain enrollees in the plan. Prohibits certain marketing practices with respect to Medicare Advantage plans and prescription drug plans, including provision for meals or other items of monetary value, telemarketing, cross-selling, and up-selling. Revises enrollment requirements under Medicare parts C (Medicare+Choice) and D (Voluntary Prescription Drugs). Allows an individual to discontinue an election of a Medicare+Choice plan if enrolled fewer than 60 days. Changes the beginning date of the annual, coordinated election period for such a plan from November 15 to October 1. Requires the Secretary, in establishing a process for the enrollment, disenrollment, termination, and change of enrollment of part D eligible individuals in prescription drug plans, to use rules similar to (and coordinated with) those under the Medicare+Choice program for a continuous open enrollment and disenrollment period for the first three months of the year in which an individual first becomes eligible.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-03-05 00:00:00

Health Insurance Coverage Protection Act - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Public Health Service Act to prohibit a group health plan from imposing an aggregate lifetime benefit limit of less than: (1) $5 million for the first two plan years; (2) $10 million for the third and fourth plan years; and (3) adjusted amounts based on the consumer price index for subsequent plan years. Excludes from such prohibition a group health plan offered to employees of a small employer, except upon request of the employer for a consistent limit.Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to contract with the Institute of Medicine for a study to determine the number of individuals who have reached the lifetime limitations set forth in this Act.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-04-02 00:00:00

Small Business Health Options Program Act of 2008 or the SHOP Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to designate an office within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to administer a health insurance program for small businesses and self-employed individuals to purchase health insurance coverage meeting certain requirements. Establishes a Small Business Health Board to monitor the implementation of the program and make recommendations for improvements.Requires the Administrator of the program to: (1) enter into contracts with health insurance issuers to provide health insurance coverage under this Act; and (2) enter into agreements with entities to serve as navigators to provide information about the program and assist in enrollment.Requires a participating employer to ensure that each eligible employee has an opportunity to enroll in a plan. Sets forth requirements for health plans offered under this Act. Requires the Administrator to contract with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to study the rating requirements that apply to health insurance purchased in the small group markets in the states and to develop recommendations concerning rating requirements.Sets forth premium-setting rules for plans under this Act.Allows a state to prohibit participation in this program if the state offers alternative health benefit plans.Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for small employers for qualified employee health insurance expenses under this Act.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-04-03 00:00:00

Small Business Health Plans Act of 2008 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for the establishment and governance of small business health plans, which are group health plans sponsored by trade, industry, professional, chamber of commerce, or similar business associations that meet ERISA certification requirements. Requires the Secretary of Labor to: (1) apply the rules and standards of this Act to Alternative Market Pooling Organizations, such as unions, churches, and other groups; and (2) consult with the domicile state regarding the Secretary's exercise of authority over such plans. Allows other existing plans to be treated as small business health plans under certain circumstances. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to promulgate Minimum Standards for premium variations and Model Small Group Rating Rules for plans under this Act. Requires the Secretary to issue the List of Required Benefits of covered benefits, services, or categories of providers that are required to be provided by health insurance issuers in at least 26 states as a result of state mandate laws. Applies covered benefit, service, or category of provider mandates from the List to states with laws requiring such mandates, but does not apply such mandates from the List to states with no such laws. Supersedes any and all state laws relating to such mandates in the health insurance market.Requires the Secretary to establish the Health Insurance Consensus Standards Board to develop recommendations that harmonize inconsistent state health insurance laws. Provides that any harmonized standards adopted by the Secretary will supersede state laws related to the areas covered by the harmonized standards.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-04-03 00:00:00

Economic Recovery in Health Care Act of 2008 - Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing, implementing, enforcing, or otherwise taking any action to give effect prior to April 1, 2009, to the following administrative actions: (1) the proposed and final rule (with certain exceptions) entitled "Medicaid Program; Health-Care Related Taxes," published, respectively, on March 23, 2007, and on February 22, 2008; (2) the proposed rule entitled "Medicaid Program; Graduate Medical Education," published on May 23, 2007; (3) the State Health Official Letter 07-001, dated August 17, 2007, issued by the Director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding certain requirements under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) relating to the prevention of the substitution of health benefits coverage for children and the enforcement of medical support orders; (4) the proposed rule entitled "Medicaid Program; Clarification of Outpatient Clinic and Hospital Facility Services definition and Upper Payment Limit," published on September 28, 2007; (5) the interim final rule entitled "Medicaid Program; Optional State Plan Case Management Services," published on December 4, 2007; and (6) the proposed rule entitled "Revisions to Procedures for the Departmental Appeals Board and Other Departmental Hearings," published on December 28, 2007. Amends the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007 to extend through April 1, 2009, the moratorium relating to the cost limit for providers operated by units of government and provisions to ensure the integrity of the federal-state financial partnership. Amends the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 to extend through April 1, 2009, the moratorium relating to rehabilitation services, school-based administration, and school-based transportation. Provides for state fiscal relief through a temporary increase of Medicaid federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) and targeted grants to Round One (FY2008 and FY2009) and Round Two (FY2009 only) Qualifying States. Makes appropriations for related payments to such states.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2008-04-09 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) taxpayers who do not itemize their deductions to deduct from gross income the costs of health insurance and long-term care insurance; and (2) payments from health savings accounts for non-group high deductible health plan premiums.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-04-30 00:00:00

Small Business Empowerment Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a national program to make quality, affordable health insurance available to small employers and self-employed individuals in a manner that will spread risk on a national basis, modeled on the federal employees health benefit program.Requires the Secretary to enter into a contract with an eligible entity for administration of the program. Authorizes such administrator to provide health insurance coverage to employees of participating employers and individuals. Directs such administrator to: (1) establish a pilot program to provide for the offering by carriers of a model health benefits plan; and (2) contract with the Institute of Medicine to assess the impact of the program on health care coverage costs and access.Sets minimum standards for program health benefits plans. Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations providing for employer participation.Establishes the National Health Coverage Commission. Includes among Commission duties: (1) developing a model that ensures adequate coverage for medically necessary services, promotes disease and chronic disease management, and provides incentives for health provider compliance with best practices protocols; and (2) developing model cost sharing mechanisms that do not discriminate and that accommodate lower income individuals.Directs the Secretary and the program administrator to implement an educational campaign concerning the program.Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a program to provide reinsurance to qualified carriers offering plans under this Act; (2) make specified large claim payments (from the Small Business Health Coverage Trust Fund established by this Act) and annual payments to such carriers; and (3) require the payment of monthly assessments by each issuer offering health insurance coverage.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-05-07 00:00:00

Medicare IVIG Access Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, upon collection of data and completion of a review, to provide, if appropriate, to physicians and hospitals furnishing intravenous immune globulins (IVIGs), an additional payment for all items related to the furnishing of IVIG in an appropriate amount.Provides for coverage of IVIG administered in the home. Makes disposable drug delivery systems, including elastomeric infusion pumps, for the treatment of colorectal cancer durable medical equipment for Medicare purposes.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-05-08 00:00:00

Access to Cancer Clinical Trials Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit a group health plan from: (1) denying an eligible participant or beneficiary participation in clinical trials related to the treatment of cancer that are federally funded or conducted under an investigational new drug application reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); (2) denying (or limiting or imposing additional conditions on) the coverage of routine patient costs for items and services furnished in connection with such participation; or (3) discriminating against an individual on the basis of such participation. Includes as routine patient costs all items and services provided in the clinical trial that are otherwise generally available to a qualified individual, with certain exceptions. Applies such prohibitions to coverage offered in the individual market.Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study the impact on group health plans and health insurance issuers of requiring them to cover routine patient care costs for individuals with serious and life threatening diseases other than cancer.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-06-11 00:00:00

Children's Health Protection Act of 2008 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit a group health plan from imposing any preexisting condition exclusion for individuals who have not attained 19 years of age. Applies such requirement to coverage offered in the individual market.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2008-06-25 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the harbor maintenance tax commercial cargo (other than bulk cargo) loaded at: (1) a port in the U.S. mainland and unloaded at another such port after transport solely by coastal route or river or unloaded at a port in Canada located in the Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway System; or (2) such a port in Canada and unloaded at a port in the U.S. mainland. Defines the "Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway System" as the waterway between Duluth, Minnesota, and Sept Iles, Quebec, Canada, encompassing the five Great Lakes, their connecting channels, and the Saint Lawrence River.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-07-09 00:00:00

Medicare and Medicaid Extension Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to extend: (1) the physician payment update; (2) the floor on the work geographic adjustment under the Medicare physician fee schedule; (3) the treatment of certain physician pathology services; (4) the exceptions process for therapy caps; (5) the payment rule for brachytherapy and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals; and (6) the accommodation of physicians ordered to active duty in the Armed Services. Delays generally until after 2011 full implementation of the Medicare competitive acquisition program for the purchase of durable medical equipment (DME), prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS).Revises such program, dividing its implementation into two rounds, and specifying covered item updates for 2009-2014.Prescribes requirements for application of accreditation in implementing quality standards.Requires suppliers to disclose subcontractors.Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for a competitive acquisition ombudsman within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to respond to complaints and inquiries by suppliers and individuals.Specifies topics for the Comptroller General's required study and report to Congress on the impact of competitive acquisition of DME on suppliers, manufacturers, and patients. Sets forth a special rule for the competitive acquisition program for diabetic testing strips. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to extend the qualifying individual (QI), transitional medical assistance (TMA), abstinence education, and Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) programs.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2008-07-16 00:00:00

Children's Budget Act - Requires the President's annual budget to Congress to include a detailed, separate analysis for the prior fiscal year, the current fiscal year, the fiscal year for which the budget is submitted, and the ensuing fiscal year identifying the amounts of gross and net appropriations or obligational authority and outlays directed to children and children's programs within the United States and territories.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-07-31 00:00:00

Consumer Health Education and Transparency Act of 2008 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the Office of Consumer Health Education and Information to provide consumers of health care services and health insurance with information concerning personal health and wellness and health insurance coverage. Requires the Secretary to: (1) require the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to develop standards for use by health insurance issuers in compiling and providing to enrollees a summary of benefits explanation that accurately represents the benefits and coverage provided by the issuer under the applicable health insurance plan; and (2) promulgate regulations to apply such standards.Directs health insurance issuers and federal health care programs to provide such a summary of benefits explanation to individuals prior to the effective date of coverage.Provides that such standards preempt related state standards that provide less information to consumers.Subjects entities that willfully fail to provide such information to fines.Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office, to establish and implement a consumer health education and outreach initiative.Directs the Secretary to: (1) conduct a comprehensive study of matters related to improved consumer education on end-of-life care decisions and spending; and (2) award grants to local education agencies to develop and implement a personal health and nutrition curriculum in elementary or secondary schools.