zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to study the feasibility of entering into covered public-private partnerships to improve the access of veterans to VA medical facilities in densely populated communities and rural communities.

Date: 2015-11-19
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude any amount includible in gross income for converting to a Roth Individual Retirement Account from the calculation of adjusted gross income used to determine eligibility for, and the amount of, the tax credit for health care insurance premium assistance.

Date: 2015-12-10
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Medicare Advantage Bill of Rights Act of 2015

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish limits on the removal of Medicare Advantage (MA) providers by MA organizations. Within 60 days before the first day of the annual coordinated election period for an MA plan, an MA organization may remove a provider from the plan only if the provider is: (1) medically negligent, (2) in violation of a legal or contractual requirement, or (3) otherwise unfit to furnish items and services as required.

An MA organization may remove a provider from an MA plan only after the completion of a fair notice and appeal process. Additionally, the MA organization must: (1) provide written notification of the removal to each enrollee receiving items or services from the provider, and (2) ensure that the removal satisfies certain continuity of care requirements.

The bill also establishes network adequacy requirements. Specifically, when establishing a plan network, an MA organization shall consider specified factors related to provider availability and the timely provision of care. Furthermore, an MA organization must annually certify to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that providers in each of its plan networks are able to provide services and meet enrollees' needs as required.

Sanctions for noncompliance with the bill's requirements apply.

Date: 2015-12-10
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medicare Advantage Quality Payment Relief Act of 2015

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid to disregard the application of certain percentage quality increases when calculating the maximum payment that may be made to a Medicare Advantage organization.

Date: 2015-12-16
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Patient Opportunity Protection Act of 2015

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from imposing additional conditions on excepted benefits, which are health benefits that are not subject to requirements applicable to group health plans or individual health insurance.

In the individual health insurance market, HHS may not condition the treatment of fixed indemnity insurance as an excepted benefit on the beneficiary satisfying the requirement for minimum essential coverage.

The amendments made by this bill are retroactively effective as if included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Date: 2015-12-18
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Health Savings Act of 2016

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the taxation of health savings accounts (HSAs), to:

 rename high deductible health plans as HSA-qualified health plans; allow spouses who have both attained age 55 to make increased catch-up contributions to the same HSA; make Medicare Part A (hospital insurance benefits) beneficiaries eligible to participate in an HSA; allow individuals eligible for hospital care or medical services under a medical care program of the Indian Health Service or of a tribal organization to participate in an HSA; allow individuals eligible to receive medical benefits under certain TRICARE plans to participate in an HSA; allow members of a health care sharing ministry to participate in an HSA; allow individuals who receive primary care services in exchange for a fixed periodic fee or payment, or who receive health care benefits from an onsite medical clinic of an employer, to participate in an HSA; include amounts paid for prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines or drugs as "qualified medical expenses" for which distributions from an HSA or an Archer Medical Savings Account may be used; and allow HSA distributions to be used to purchase health insurance coverage. The bill amends the federal bankruptcy code to exempt HSAs from creditor claims in bankruptcy.

The bill amends the Social Security Act to reauthorize the use of Medicaid health opportunity accounts.

The bill allows a medical care tax deduction for: (1) exercise equipment, physical fitness programs, and membership at a fitness facility; (2) nutritional and dietary supplements; and (3) periodic fees paid to a primary care physician and amounts paid for pre-paid primary care services.

Date: 2016-02-04
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Know Before You Go Act of 2016

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to permit health insurers to include, for plan year accounting purposes, activities related to a transparency tool as activities that improve health care quality. (An insurer must provide a rebate to enrollees if the insurer spends less than a certain percentage of premium revenues on clinical services and activities that improve health care quality.) A transparency tool is a website and telephone support that provides quality of care and cost sharing comparisons among in-network providers.

Such accounting for a plan year is permitted only for insurers that have: (1) significantly increased the percentage of enrollees using a transparency tool compared to the previous year, (2) provided cost sharing estimates for episodes of care upon request, and (3) made available a list of high deductible health plans offered by the insurer to each individual seeking coverage from the insurer.

Date: 2016-02-09
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Excellence in Medicare Act 

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare)of the Social Security Act to require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid to disregard the application of certain percentage quality increases when calculating the maximum payment that may be made to a Medicare Advantage organization.

Medical Malpractice Reform Act of 2015

The bill sets conditions for lawsuits arising from health care liability claims regarding health care goods or services or any medical product affecting interstate commerce.Additionally, the bill sets a statute of limitations of three years after the date of manifestation of injury or one-year after the claimant discovers the injury, with certain exceptions.

The bill revises other provisions related to health care lawsuits including: (1)limiting noneconomic damages, (2)mandating joint and several liability, (3)limiting attorney contingency fees, (4) limiting punitive damages, and (5)denying punitive damages in the case of products approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Date: 2016-02-23
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Timely Payment for Veterans' Emergency Care Act

This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into contracts with an eligible entity to serve as an administrative contractor with respect to the performance of any or all of the following functions relating to providing medical care and hospital services in non-VA facilities:

 determining and making the payments required to be made to a non-VA facility; providing education and outreach to individuals enrolled in the patient enrollment system; providing consultative services to institutions, agencies, and other persons to enable them to maintain necessary fiscal records; communicating to non-VA facilities any information or instructions furnished to the administrative contractor by the VA; and performing functions relating to non-VA facility education, training, and technical assistance. An administrative contractor that performs such payment-related functions shall implement a contractor-wide information security program.

The VA shall use claims payment error rates or similar methodology of administrative contractors in the processing or reviewing of claims in order to give such contractors an incentive to implement effective education and outreach programs for non-VA facilities.

Date: 2016-03-03
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Protecting Taxpayers by Recovering Improper Obamacare Subsidy Overpayments Act

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the limitation on the increase in tax imposed upon certain low-income families for advance payments of the tax credit for health insurance premium assistance that exceed the allowable amount of such credit.

Date: 2016-03-10
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay the burial transportation costs of certain deceased veterans to a state- or tribal-owned veterans' cemetery.

Date: 2016-03-16
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Health Savings Protection Act

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the excise tax on excess benefit employer-sponsored health care plans any amounts contributed to an Archer medical savings plan, a tax-exempt health savings account, or a health flexible spending arrangement by an employee or an employer through salary reduction contributions.

Date: 2016-03-22
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Medicare Beneficiary Enrollment Improvement Act

The bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to request recommendations from stakeholders on information included in the Welcome to Medicare package and update the information included in the package accordingly.

Date: 2016-05-17
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Health Coverage State Flexibility Act of 2016

This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to revise the grace period that health insurers must provide to recipients of premium subsidies before discontinuing health coverage for nonpayment of premiums. The grace period is shortened from 3 months to 30 days unless state law includes an applicable grace period.

Date: 2016-06-08
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Small Business Health Care Relief Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and other laws to exempt qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) from certain requirements that apply to group health plans.

A qualified small employer HRA is offered by employers that have fewer than 50 full-time employees and do not offer group health plans to any of their employees. A qualified small employer HRA must:

 be provided on the same terms to all eligible employees of the employer; be funded solely by the employer without salary reduction contributions; provide, after an employee provides proof of coverage, for the payment or reimbursement of medical expenses of the employee and family members; and limit annual payments and reimbursements to specified dollar amounts. HRAs that meet these requirements are not considered group health plans and are exempt from various requirements that apply to group health plans, including coverage and cost-sharing requirements. (Under current law, employers that sponsor group health plans that do not meet specified requirements are subject to an excise tax.)

Coverage and payments under a qualified HRA are excluded from gross income, unless the employee does not have minimum essential coverage for the month in which the medical care was provided.

Employers offering a qualified HRA must notify employees in advance regarding permitted benefits and report benefit information on W-2 forms and to health exchanges.

The bill sets forth requirements for determining whether an employee covered under an HRA is also eligible for premium subsidies under PPACA.

Date: 2016-06-10
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on November 14, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Veterans TRICARE Choice Act of 2016

 (Sec. 2) This bill allows, as of January 1, 2017, an individual who is eligible to be a covered beneficiary entitled to health care benefits under the TRICARE program (a Department of Defense [DOD] managed health care program) and who is not serving on active duty in the uniformed services to: (1) elect to be ineligible to enroll in TRICARE, (2) make tax deductible contributions to a health savings account during the period such individual elects to be ineligible for TRICARE coverage, and (3) enroll in the TRICARE program at a later date during a special enrollment period.

 DOD shall submit to the Internal Revenue Service information on each TRICARE-eligible individual who makes such election for purposes of determining such individual's eligibility for a health savings account.

 DOD shall provide to each TRICARE-eligible individual who seeks to make such election information regarding: (1) health savings accounts, and (2) changing an election.

Date: 2016-06-13
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Access to Better Care Act of 2016 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit a health plan with no deductible for medical management of a chronic disease to be treated as a high deductible health plan for purposes of health savings account eligibility requirements.

A chronic condition or disease must be expected to last for more than one year, limit what a person can do, and require ongoing medical monitoring. Medical management of a chronic disease is medical care which has the primary purpose of managing the condition or disease by preventing the onset, further deterioration, or complications associated with it.

Date: 2016-07-07
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification Act of 2016 or the BENES Act of 2016

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code to:

 establish requirements for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to notify individuals of their potential eligibility for Medicare; require the Internal Revenue Service to disclose to CMS specified taxpayer information for the purpose of establishing individuals' potential Medicare eligibility; restructure Medicare enrollment periods; and expand Medicare beneficiaries' rights to appeal certain enrollment errors.

Date: 2016-07-13
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Taxpayers Before Insurers Act 

This bill rescinds specified departmental management funds from the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) unless HHS deposits into the Treasury specified funds derived from contributions collected under the Transitional Reinsurance Program.

The rescission is required unless HHS deposits into the Treasury: (1) $2 billion for each of calendar years 2014 and 2015 within 45 days of enactment of this bill, and (2) $1 billion for 2016 by March 1, 2017.

(The Transitional Reinsurance Program was created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [PPACA] to stabilize premiums in the individual health insurance market by partially reimbursing insurers for high-cost enrollees. Health insurance issuers and certain group health plans make contributions to the program, and reinsurance payments are made to issuers for enrollees in certain individual market plans with claim costs within a specified level. Portions of the reinsurance contributions are allocated for the reinsurance payment pool, administrative expenses, and the Treasury.)

Date: 2016-07-14
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
State Age Rating Flexibility Act of 2016

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to increase the permissible variation based on age for health insurance premiums for coverage offered in the individual or small group market from a factor of three to a factor of five, or to a factor determined by the state. This applies to plan years starting on or after January 1, 2018.

Date: 2016-07-21
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
ACA Premium Payment Verification Act

This bill conditions any advance payment of premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act upon certification that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has in place an adequate process to independently verify that an individual is enrolled under a qualified health plan (QHP) and has paid the plan premium. Such a process must satisfy specified requirements with respect to automation, effectiveness, and cooperation between CMS and the Department of the Treasury. Furthermore, such a process shall not be considered adequate to the extent that it includes any procedures that rely on assurances or attestations of the issuer of the QHP involved.

Date: 2016-09-13
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Territory Health Insurance Tax Relief Act of 2016

This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to exclude premiums paid by residents of U.S. territories from a health insurer's net premiums when calculating the annual fee on the health insurer, thereby lowering the fee for health insurers that collect such premiums. These premiums are still included in total health premiums when calculating the annual fee on health insurers, thus the total amount collected annually from health insurers is reduced.

Date: 2016-09-14
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medicare Enrollment Protection Act

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) create a special Medicare enrollment period for individuals enrolled in, or transitioning out of, continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA); and (2) exempt such individuals from certain monthly premium increases associated with delaying Medicare coverage.

Date: 2016-09-27
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medigap Consumer Protection Act of 2016

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) expand guaranteed issue rights with respect to Medigap policies (Medicare supplemental health insurance policies), (2) eliminate certain limitations on Medigap policies for newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries, and (3) modify other provisions related to Medigap policies. ("Guaranteed issue" rights require that a policy be offered to any eligible applicant without regard to health status.)

Date: 2016-09-28
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to limit increases to monthly premiums under Medicare for 2017. Specifically, an individual's monthly premium shall increase by no more than $4 over the individual's monthly premium for 2016.

Date: 2016-12-02
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services to deposit monthly in the Treasury $1.50 for each individual enrolled in health insurance coverage though a federally operated health insurance exchange.

The user fee charged to health insurers by federally operated health insurance exchanges may not exceed a specified percentage of a plan's premiums.

Date: 2016-12-08
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
MACPAC Improvement Act of 2016

This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to modify provisions related to the duties, membership, and conflict-of-interest policies of the Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) Payment and Access Commission.

Date: 2016-12-08
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Obamacare Opt-Out Act of 2015

Exempts from the minimum essential coverage requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act individuals who request an exemption through a health care marketplace or on their federal income tax return.

Date: 2015-01-08
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Obamacare Taxpayer Bailout Prevention Act 

Repeals the provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and administer a program of risk corridors for calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016 under which a qualified health plan offered in the individual or small group market is required to participate in a payment adjustment system based on the ratio of the allowable costs of the plan to the plan's aggregate premiums.

Date: 2015-01-08
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Employee Health Care Protection Act of 2015

Permits a health insurance issuer that had in effect health insurance coverage in the group market on any date during 2013 to continue offering that coverage through 2018 outside of a health care exchange established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Treats that coverage as a grandfathered health plan for purposes of an individual meeting the requirement to maintain minimum essential health coverage.

Date: 2015-01-13
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
CHAMPVA Children's Care Protection Act of 2015

Makes a child eligible for medical care under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) eligible for such care until the child's 26th birthday, regardless of the child's marital status.

Makes such provision inapplicable before January 1, 2016, to a child who is eligible to enroll in an employer-sponsored health care plan.

Date: 2015-01-13
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Jobs and Premium Protection Act

This bill repeals a provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that imposes an annual fee on a health insurance provider based on its net premium income.

Date: 2015-01-16
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
American Liberty Restoration Act

Repeals provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that require individuals to maintain minimum essential health care coverage. Applies the Internal Revenue Code as if such provisions had never been enacted.

Date: 2015-01-21
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Veterans Access to Community Care Act of 2015

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use the Secretary's existing authority to furnish health care to veterans at non-VA facilities to provide health care at non-VA facilities to veterans who reside more than 40 miles driving distance from the closest VA medical facility providing the care they seek.

Date: 2015-01-21
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
American Job Protection Act

Repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, as added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, that: (1) impose fines on large employers (employers with 50 or more full-time employees) who fail to offer their full-time employees the opportunity to enroll in minimum essential health insurance coverage, and (2) require large employers to file a report with the Department of the Treasury on health insurance coverage provided to their full-time employees. Applies the Internal Revenue Code as if those provisions had never been enacted.

Date: 2015-01-29
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Small Business Tax Credit Accessibility Act 

Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the small employer health care insurance tax credit, to: (1) revise the definition of "eligible small employer" to mean an employer with not more than 50 (currently, 25) full-time employees; (2) modify the phaseout formula for such credit to base such phaseout on number of employees and average annual wages; (3) extend from two to three consecutive taxable years the period during which an employer may claim such credit; and (4) eliminate the requirement that employers contribute the same percentage of cost of each employee's health insurance and the cap limiting eligible employer contributions to average premiums paid to a state health insurance exchange.

Date: 2015-02-05
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act of 2015

Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 to require a program under which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs provides chiropractic care and services to veterans through Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and clinics to be carried out at: (1) no fewer than 75 medical centers by December 31, 2016, and (2) all medical centers by December 31, 2018.

Includes chiropractic examinations and services within required VA medical, rehabilitative, and preventive health care services.

Date: 2015-02-05
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act of 2015

Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) to require a state Medicaid plan to provide 12-month continuous enrollment for an eligible individual, regardless of age.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) identify methods that promote the retention of individuals who are enrolled under the state plan or under a waiver of such plan and remain eligible for medical assistance beyond the 12-month period, (2) actively promote the adoption of such enrollment retention methods by states, (3) publish the procedures that states are expected to use to provide annual enrollment and retention reports, and (4) publish annually enrollment and retention performance results for all states.

Amends SSAct title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP) to: (1) require a state CHIP plan also to provide 12-month continuous enrollment for an eligible individual, and (2) prohibit eligibility standards from applying a waiting period for a targeted low-income child (including a child provided dental-only supplemental coverage).

Amends SSAct title XIX to allow a state to qualify for performance bonuses for the enrollment and retention in Medicaid of certain low-income individuals.

Directs the Secretary to make bonus payments to eligible states adopting certain policies and demonstrating improvement in the continuity of enrollment.

Date: 2015-02-10
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Provider Tax Administrative Simplification Act of 2015

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to approve a waiver of the uniform tax requirement (whether or not the tax is broad based), regardless of whether the state concerned satisfies certain requirements, for any state with a provider tax that does not apply to continuing care retirement communities or life care communities that: (1) have no beds certified to provide medical assistance under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, or (2) do not provide services for which Medicaid payment may be made.

Date: 2015-02-11
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the tax credit for health insurance coverage costs by extending the eligible coverage month in which a taxpayer and the taxpayer's family members are covered by qualified health insurance to any month beginning before January 1, 2020.

Date: 2015-02-12
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Protecting and Retaining Our Children's Health Insurance Program Act of 2015

This bill revises and extends through FY2019 at generally increased levels the program under title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSAct), and adjusts CHIP allotment requirements accordingly, including the rebasing and growth factor update rules for computing state allotments. Appropriations are made for certain allotments.

Appropriations are made to the Child Enrollment Contingency Fund for FY2015-FY2018 (and for each of the semi-annual allotment periods for FY2019) for payments to eligible states.

The aggregate cap to payments from the Fund is removed for such fiscal years and allotment periods.

Additional specified amounts, with fiscal year limitation, are made available for payments from the Fund.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services must make payments to shortfall states from the Child Enrollment Contingency Fund in such fiscal years and allotment periods.

Performance incentive payments are revised and extended through FY2019.

Specified enrollment and retention provisions for children are outlined for FY2015 and each succeeding fiscal year.

The option is extended through FY2019 of a qualifying state to be paid from the state's allotment for certain Medicaid expenditures related to low-income individuals under age 19.

Title XI of the SSAct is also amended to extend through FY2019: (1) the quality care for children demonstration project, (2) childhood obesity demonstration project, and (3) pediatric quality measures program.

Also extended through FY20019 are CHIP grants to improve outreach and enrollment and appropriations to award such grants.

SSAct XIX (Medicaid) is amended to: (1) extend express lane eligibility through FY2019, and (2) allow use of income determinations under SSAct part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV or the supplemental nutrition assistance program of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to determine eligibility under the state Medicaid program.

Date: 2015-02-12
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Removing Limitations on Insurance Effectiveness and Flexibility Act of 2015 or the ReLIEF Act

This bill deems catastrophic health plans described in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to be qualified health plans that are eligible for premium assistance and fulfill an individual's requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage. Limitations on eligibility for enrollment in catastrophic plans are eliminated.

Date: 2015-02-23
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Helping Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving Access to Podiatric Physicians Act or the HELLPP Act

 Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) to include podiatrists as physicians in order to cover their services under the Medicaid program.

Amends SSAct title XVIII (Medicare) to revise requirements for coverage of therapeutic shoes for individuals with diabetes regarding the processes of: (1) documentation by a physician of, and certification of a comprehensive plan of care related to, the diabetic condition; (2) prescription by a podiatrist or other qualified physician upon a finding of the medical necessity for the therapeutic shoes, including findings communicated to a certifying doctor of medicine or osteopathy of certain related foot conditions; and (3) fitting and supplying the shoes.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to subject to the continuing levy upon property and property rights, for collection of unpaid taxes, any payments made to a Medicaid provider or supplier.

Date: 2015-03-03
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Restoring Access to Medication Act of 2015

 Repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, as added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, that limit payments for medications from health savings accounts, medical savings accounts, and health flexible spending arrangements to only prescription drugs or insulin (thus allowing distributions from such accounts for over-the-counter drugs).

Date: 2015-03-11
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Steve Gleason Act of 2015

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover as durable medical equipment any eye tracking and gaze interaction accessories for speech generating devices furnished to individuals with a demonstrated medical need for them.

Payment for speech generating devices or accessories shall be made on a rental basis, or in a lump-sum amount for the purchase of the item, without a cap on the amount.

Date: 2015-03-18
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medication Therapy Management Empowerment Act of 2015

This bill amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to make a targeted beneficiary under the medication therapy management program of a part D eligible individual who has a single chronic disease of cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hyperlipidemia, or diabetes.

Date: 2015-03-18
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medicare CGM Access Act of 2015 - This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide Medicare coverage of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices furnished to a CGM qualified individual.

The Department of Health and Human Services must establish a fee schedule and ensure that CGM qualified individuals are furnished with appropriate device components.

Date: 2015-03-19
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Family Health Care Flexibility Act

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal provisions added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that: (1) restrict payments from health savings accounts, Archer medical savings accounts, and health flexible spending and reimbursement arrangements for medications to prescription drugs and insulin only (thus allowing payments for over-the-counter medications); and (2) impose a $2,500 limitation on salary reduction contributions to a health flexible spending arrangement under a cafeteria plan.

Date: 2015-03-23
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate passed version is repeated here.)

Steve Gleason Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover as durable medical equipment any eye tracking and gaze interaction accessories for speech generating devices furnished to individuals with a demonstrated medical need for them.

(Sec. 3) Payment for speech generating devices or accessories shall be made on a rental basis, or in a lump-sum amount for the purchase of the item, without a cap on the amount in the case of devices furnished on or after October 1, 2015, and before October 1, 2018.

Date: 2015-04-16
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Health Coverage Tax Credit Extension Act of 2015

This bill extends the tax credit for health insurance costs of a taxpayer and qualifying family members through 2019. The tax credit for health insurance costs is a refundable tax credit equal to 72.5% of the cost of qualified health coverage paid by an eligible individual [defined as an individual who is receiving a trade adjustment allowance, is eligible for the alternative trade adjustment assistance program, or is over age 55 and receives pension benefits from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)].

The bill requires a taxpayer to make an election to have the tax credit apply for any eligible coverage month during a taxable year. An eligible coverage month is a month in which an eligible individual is covered by qualified health insurance, does not have other specified coverage, and is not imprisoned.

The bill also directs the Departments of the Treasury, Health and Human Services, and Labor and the PBGC to conduct a public outreach, including on the Internet, to inform individuals eligible for the tax credit for health insurance costs on the extension of such credit and the availability of the election to claim such credit retroactively for coverage months beginning after December 31, 2013.

Date: 2015-04-16
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Preserving Freedom and Choice in Health Care Act

This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the requirements for individuals to maintain minimum essential coverage and for large employers to pay penalties if a full-time employee: (1) must wait longer than 60 days to enroll in an employer-sponsored health plan, or (2) receives a premium assistance tax credit or reduced cost-sharing. Coverage reporting requirements for providers and large employers are also repealed.

Individuals enrolled in a health plan purchased through the federal health insurance exchange at the time of enactment of this Act who are ineligible for a premium assistance tax credit solely as a result of a determination by the Supreme Court in King v. Burwell are eligible for the tax credit. This applies to coverage months beginning after December 2013 and before September 2017.

Group health coverage in which an individual was enrolled during any part of the period beginning on the date of enactment of PPACA (March 23, 2010) and ending on December 31, 2017, is a grandfathered health plan under PPACA and is exempt from some coverage requirements.

Essential health benefits are defined by states. This amendment takes effect as if included in PPACA.

Date: 2015-04-20
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
TRICARE Portability Act of 2015

This bill directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure that beneficiaries covered under a TRICARE health plan are able to access health care under such health plan in each TRICARE program region.

The Secretary shall:

 provide for the automatic electronic transfer of demographic, enrollment, and claims information between the contractors responsible for administering the TRICARE program in each TRICARE region when covered beneficiaries relocate between such regions, ensure these covered beneficiaries are able to obtain a new primary health care provider within ten days of undergoing such relocation, and develop a process for such covered beneficiaries to receive urgent care without preauthorization while undergoing such relocation.

Date: 2015-05-12
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Small Business Stability Act

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the definition of "applicable large employer," for purposes of the mandate under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to provide employees with minimum essential health care coverage, to mean an employer who employed an average of at least 101 (currently, 50) full-time employees during the preceding calendar year. Excludes from such definition a small employer that is eligible to purchase a qualified health plan in the small group health insurance market, as defined in PPACA.

Date: 2015-05-21
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Veterans Emergency Health Care Safety Net Expansion Act of 2015

Eliminates the requirement limiting reimbursement for emergency treatment in a non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility to veterans who are active participants in the VA's health care system. Requires the veteran to be an enrollee in the VA's patient enrollment system.

Treats the VA as a participating provider for purposes of allowing the VA to recover the costs it incurs in providing care to a veteran for a non-service connected disability that is covered under the veteran's health plan contract.

Date: 2015-05-21
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Charity Care Expansion Act of 2015 

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a physician a tax deduction equal to the amount such physician would have otherwise charged for charity medical care provided on a volunteer or pro bono basis through a pre-existing agreement between the physician and a health care clinic or other organization providing health care to underserved or low-income individuals. Imposes an overal limitation on such deduction equal to 10% of the physician's gross income derived from physicians' services (as defined by the Social Security Act) or $10,000 for physicians who do not have income derived from physicians' services.

Repeals the block grant program for preventive health and health services under the Public Health Service Act.

Date: 2015-06-04
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Patient Freedom Act of 2015

This bill provides states with three options regarding title I (provisions on health insurance reform, exchanges, and subsidies) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA): (1) continue implementing PPACA, (2) do not apply title I of PPACA except to prohibit lifetime or annual limits on health insurance benefits and require coverage of dependents up to 26 years old, or (3) the second option plus implementation of a health savings account (HSA) deposit system.

In states implementing an HSA deposit system, residents who are enrolled in health insurance coverage that meets state standards receive monthly deposits in their HSAs either from states administering federal funds or as a tax credit paid in advance. States that administer deposits are entitled to payments from the Department of Health and Human Services for population health initiatives.

States with an HSA deposit system must offer a health insurance plan that is continually available for enrollment and penalize residents who have a break in coverage.

This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) to disregard assets in an HSA for purposes of determining Medicaid eligibility and benefits except for long-term care services.

This bill amends SSAct title XVIII (Medicare) to require participating hospitals to limit costs to individuals for uncovered emergency medical care.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the requirement that an individual have a high deductible health plan to be eligible for the tax benefits of an HSA.

HSAs can be used to pay premiums for health insurance that meets specified requirements.

HSA tax benefits only apply to payments for health care for which the provider publishes the price.

Date: 2015-06-09
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Transition to Independence Act

This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a demonstration program over five fiscal years, beginning with FY2017, under which a Medicaid Buy-In State meeting certain criteria may receive bonus payments for:

 meeting specific measurable benchmarks in expanding individual integrated employment and reducing subminimum wage work, congregate setting work, or facility-based day habilitation placements for working-age individuals with a disability receiving Medicaid-funded home or community-based services; and taking other actions conducive to expanding employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities within the state.

Date: 2015-06-18
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Vested Employee Pension Benefit Protection Act 

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employees in the building and construction industry to make distributions from their tax-exempt employer pension plans at age 55 if they are not separated from service at the time of such distributions and were participants in such plan on or before April 30, 2013.

Date: 2015-06-24
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Access to Independent Health Insurance Advisors Act of 2015

Amends the Public Health Service Act to exclude remuneration paid for licensed independent insurance producers from administrative costs for purposes of calculating the medical-loss ratio of a health insurance plan.

Defines "independent insurance producer" to mean an insurance agent or broker, insurance consultant, benefit specialist, limited insurance representative, and any other person required to be licensed under state law to sell, solicit, negotiate, service, effect, procure, renew, or bind policies of insurance coverage or offer advice, counsel, opinions, or services related to insurance.

Date: 2015-06-24
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Expands eligibility for reimbursement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for emergency medical treatment furnished in a non-VA facility to include veterans that were unable to receive care from the VA within the 24-month period preceding such treatment because of a waiting period imposed by the VA with respect to a new patient examination.

Date: 2015-06-25
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality Act of 2015 or the STARS Act

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt seasonal employees from the definition of "full-time employee" for purposes of the employer mandate under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide employees with minimum essential health care coverage. Defines "seasonal employee" as an employee who is employed in a position for which the customary annual employment is not more than six months and which requires performing labor or services that are ordinarily performed at certain seasons or periods of the year.

Date: 2015-07-21
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 2015

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow any Medicare beneficiary to enter into a contract with an eligible professional, regardless of whether the professional is a participating or non-participating physician or practitioner, for any item or service covered by Medicare. Such beneficiaries may submit a claim for Medicare payment in the amount that would otherwise apply, except that, where the professional is considered to be non-participating, payment shall be paid as if the professional were participating.

An "eligible professional" is  a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified nurse-midwife, clinical social worker, clinical psychologist, physical or occupational therapist, qualified speech-language pathologist, or qualified audiologist.

A Medicare beneficiary must agree in writing in such a contract to: (1) pay the eligible professional for a Medicare-covered item or service; and (2) submit, in lieu of the eligible professional, a claim for Medicare payment. However, a beneficiary maynegotiate, as a term of the contract, for the eligible professional to file such claims on the beneficiary's behalf.

The bill preempts state laws from limiting the amount of charges for physician and practitioner services for which Medicare payment is made.

Date: 2015-07-23
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Health Insurance for Former Foster Youth Act

This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to make technical revisions indicating that medical assistance is available to former foster care children regardless of whether they move between states.

Date: 2015-07-23
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Helping Veterans Save for Health Care Act of 2015 

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that a veteran receiving hospital care or medical services for a service-connected disabililty is not disqualified from participating in or contributing to a tax-preferred health savings account.

Date: 2015-07-28
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Improving the Quality of Disability Decisions Act of 2015

This bill amends titles II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) of the Social Security Act to direct the Social Security Administration (SSA) to conduct pre-effectuation and post-effectuation quality reviews of hearing dispositions with respect to decisions in connection with applications for OASDI or SSI benefits, in a sufficient number to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and other guidance.

SSA shall report annually Congress on: (1) the total number of cases selected for quality review, (2) the number in which a decision is remanded, and (3) the number in which a decision is modified or reversed.

Date: 2015-08-04
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Social welfare
Permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Choice Card Act of 2015

This bill amends the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to make the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Choice Program permanent. (The program allows the furnishing of hospital care and medical services to eligible veterans through agreements with non-VA entities.)

Eligibility requirements under the program are revised.

Date: 2015-08-05
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security