zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Self-Insurance Protection Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the definition of "health insurance coverage" a stop loss policy obtained by a self-insured health plan or a plan sponsor of a group health plan that self-insures the health risks of its plan participants to reimburse the plan or sponsor for losses incurred in providing health or medical benefits to such plan participants in excess of a predetermined level set forth in the stop loss policy.

Date: 2013-11-19
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medicaid Managed Care Responsibility and Equity Act - Amends titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSA) with respect to managed care requirements.

Requires a minimum medical loss ratio of at least 85% for Medicaid and CHIP managed care plans under contracts between a state and a managed medical care entity (health maintenance organization), but a minimum ratio of only 80% for an entity in which at least 10% of the enrollees are optional targeted low-income children.

Prescribes administrative penalties for failure to maintain such ratios.

Applies the same minimum medical loss ratios to a state child health (CHIP) plan, except for a medical loss ratio of at least 80% for managed care organizations.

Date: 2013-12-10
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Premium Disclosure Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, with respect to state health care exchanges, to revise open enrollment period requirements so that such periods commence on October 15 and end on December 7 of each calendar year after the initial open enrollment period. Prohibits modification of such dates by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Requires the Secretary to carry out activities to broadly disseminate information to qualified individuals (and those who may become qualified individuals) concerning open enrollment periods, monthly premiums, and cost-sharing requirements under qualified health plans, ensuring that such information is first made available at least 30 days prior to the initial open enrollment period.

Date: 2013-12-18
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Cancer Treatment Parity Act of 2013 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to require a group or individual health plan providing benefits with respect to anticancer medications administered by a health care provider to provide no less favorable coverage for prescribed, patient-administered anticancer medications used to kill, slow, or prevent the growth of cancerous cells and that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Applies such requirement to medication that is prescribed based on a finding by the treating physician that the medication is: (1) medically necessary for the purpose of killing, slowing, or preventing the growth of cancerous cells in accordance with nationally accepted standards of medical practice; and (2) clinically appropriate in terms of type, frequency, extent site, and duration.

Permits such coverage to be subject to the same cost-sharing applicable to anticancer medications administered by a health care provider under the plan.

 Prohibits a health plan from imposing an increase in out-of-pocket costs, reclassifying benefits with respect to anticancer medications, or applying more restrictive limitations on prescribed orally- or intravenously-administered or injected anticancer medications.

Requires a plan to provide notice to each participant and beneficiary regarding the coverage required under this Act.

Requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to assess how closing the Medicare part D donut hole affects Medicare coverage for orally-administered anticancer medications, with a particular focus on cost and accessibility.

Date: 2013-12-19
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Coverage Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in the case of an individual who enrolls in a qualified health plan offered through a health care exchange established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) before February 1, 2014, to require the issuer of the plan to treat such individual as enrolled as of December 23, 2013, if the individual:

 attests, not later than January 31, 2014, to making reasonable, good-faith attempts to successfully enroll in such a plan through an exchange before December 23, 2013, or was initially determined through healthcare.gov to be eligible to enroll in a Medicaid plan but is not eligible to so enroll in such a plan and, because of the incorrect eligibility determination, was subsequently unable to enroll in a qualified plan before December 23, 2013; and pays to the issuer of the plan in which the individual is enrolled any premiums owed for enrollment in the plan, taking into account the amount of any premium assistance made available under the Internal Revenue Code. Counts coverage provided under a qualified plan for January and February 2014 under this Act as coverage under such a plan by or through an exchange for such months for all purposes, including premium assistance, PPACA cost-sharing reductions, and the requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage. Amends PPACA to allow a state to make coverage under a qualified plan retroactive to January 1, 2014, with respect to an individual who enrolls through the state exchange (or the federal exchange in the case of a state that does not have one) during the period established by the state that begins on December 23, 2013, and ends on a date determined by the state, but not later than January 31, 2014. Allows a state that has an enrollment deadline that is prior to December 23, 2013, to modify the period to encompass such deadline. Applies retroactively to January 1, 2014, any premium assistance tax credit or cost-sharing assistance for which the individual is determined to be eligible, but where the determination has not been verified by the date on which the individual enrolls in the qualified plan. Directs the Secretary to require a health insurance issuer that offers a qualified plan through an exchange to: allow in-network providers in the plan to treat a receipt of payment of premiums by an individual enrolled for January or February 2014 who has not received a health insurance card from the issuer in the same manner as if such receipt were such a health insurance card issued for services furnished during such month; and notify such in-network providers of that policy.

Date: 2013-12-20
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Health Insurance Accountability Act of 2013 - Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective on the date on which a study reported by the Comptroller General (GAO) determines that the number of individuals who are uninsured exceeds the number of individuals who were uninsured on the date of enactment of the PPACA. Requires subsequent studies and reports every 60 days until the Comptroller General makes such a determination.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), if a determination is made on the basis of the last such report submitted during a fiscal year that the number of uninsured has decreased as compared to the number on the date of PPACA enactment, to reduce the unobligated funding for the following, according to a specified ratio: health insurance consumer information, assistance to states for health care exchanges, and the Health Insurance Reform Implementation Fund. Deems such amounts to rescinded and permanently cancelled for purposes of debt reduction.

Date: 2013-12-20
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Removing Limitations on Insurance Effectiveness and Flexibility Act of 2013 or the ReLIEF Act - Allows catastrophic health plans described in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to be considered as providing essential health benefits by removing certain enrollment eligibility restrictions (concerning age and certification of exemption from the Internal Revenue Code requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage).

Deems coverage under such a plan to meet the Internal Revenue Code requirement that an individual maintain minimum essential coverage.

Date: 2014-01-13
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Diabetic Testing Supply Access Act of 2014 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to deny the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) authority to restrict or eliminate a Medicare beneficiary's option of electing, regardless of delivery method (except by mail and private parcel service), to have diabetic testing supplies delivered to him or her by retail community pharmacies, including one that contracts with a long-term care facility, assisted living facility, group home, or other type of residential setting recognized by the state.

Date: 2014-01-16
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Quality Act of 2014 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) 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 (HHS) to: (1) identify methods that promote the retention of individuals who are enrolled under the state 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 SSA 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, (2) prohibit eligibility standards from applying a waiting period for a targeted low-income child (including a child provided dental-only supplemental coverage), and (3) extend the authorization of CHIP performance bonuses through FY2015.

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

Requires a state to develop and implement a quality assessment and improvement strategy if it provides contracts with comparable primary care case management services providers as well as health care services furnished in fee-for-service settings.

Directs the Secretary to require states to use certain adult health quality measures and approaches to report on the initial core set of quality measures for Medicaid eligible adults and for the quality of pediatric health care.

Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) a Medicaid Quality Performance Bonus fund for awarding performance bonuses to select states for high attainment and improvement on a core set of quality measures related to the goals and purposes of the Medicaid program, as well as (2) a methodology for awarding Medicaid Quality Performance bonuses to states

Requires a state, as a condition of receiving a bonus fund award, to designate at least 75% of the performance bonus funds for the development and operation of quality-related initiatives that will directly benefit providers.

Date: 2014-02-03
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Veterans Health Care Access Received Closer to Home Act of 2014 - Expresses the sense of Congress in support of veteran-centric health care coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and community providers, as well as cost-effective VA purchase of veterans' care from the private sector.

Amends the Veterans' Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008 to reauthorize a VA pilot program of contract care authority within specified Veterans Integrated Service Networks for the health care needs of veterans in highly rural areas. Requires: (1) that medical appointments for veterans, under the pilot program, occur during the 30-day period beginning on the date that is 15 days after the appointment is requested, and (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that eligible veterans are informed of the program.

Date: 2014-02-03
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Small Business Tax Credit Accessibility Act - Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Obama Administration should work to make the small employer health care insurance tax credit more accessible for small employers.

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) allow a 35% credit in 2014 to small employers who purchase health care coverage outside of the Small Business Health Option Program (SHOP exchange); (4) extend from two to three consecutive taxable years the period during which an employer may claim such credit; (5) 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; and (6) make such credit available to dependents of a small employer.

Date: 2014-02-27
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Consumers Having Options in Choosing Enrollment Act or CHOICE Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue guidelines and necessary operational specifications to provide for the establishment of a permanent pathway to enable individuals to enroll in qualified health plans through: (1) a state-based Exchange, if there is one, or if appropriate, a health insurance issuer, a certified agent or broker, or a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-certified Internet web-based broker or entity; or (2) the Federal Exchange (in a state with no state exchange), a health insurance issuer, an agent or broker certified by the Federal Exchange, or a CMS-certified Internet web-based broker or entity.

Makes guidelines and operational capabilities issued under this Act available to consumers and applicable health insurance issuers and entities for any enrollment period required by PPACA.

Date: 2014-03-27
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Commonsense Competition and Access to Health Insurance Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to permit two or more states to enter into an agreement under which one or more qualified health plans could be offered in small group markets, as well as in the individual markets (as under current law), in all such states.

Directs the Secretary, by December 31, 2014, to request the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to report on health plans provided for under PPACA.

Allows the Secretary also to request NAIC to gather concepts for inclusion in the report from organizations and entities that have experience in offering qualified health plans in states in which those plans were not originally issued.

Requires the Secretary, by December 31, 2014, to report to Congress about: (1) how the Secretary may utilize the flexibility provided under PPACA (relating to allowing a regional or interstate exchange) to allow health insurance issuers offering qualified health plans in an Exchange operated by the federal government to offer plans in a state other than the state in which that plan was originally written or issued; and (2) how such an Exchange can be a conduit to forming interstate insurance state compacts.

Date: 2014-03-27
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the excise tax on employer-sponsored health care coverage for which there is an excess benefit (high-cost plans).

Amends the Public Health Service Act to replace the annual review of unreasonable increases in health insurance premiums with a five-year program of grants to states for establishing centers to collect and make available medical reimbursement information from health insurance issuers.

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to deny plan bids under the Medicare Advantage Program and the Prescription Drug Benefit Program.

Abolishes the Independent Payment Advisory Board established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to develop proposals to reduce the rate of growth in Medicare spending.

Date: 2014-04-01
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Obamacare Taxpayer Bailout Protection Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, with respect to the program of risk corridors (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), to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure that payments to and from a plan are provided for in amounts necessary to reduce to zero the cost to the government of carrying out the program.

Date: 2014-04-07
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Expanding Primary Care Access and Workforce Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to appropriate funds for scholarship and student loan repayment programs for primary care providers.

Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 to provide appropriations for the National Health Care Workforce Commission and extend provisions related to community health centers and the Family Nurse Practitioner Residency Training Program. Extends payments and development grants for Teaching Health Centers, the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, the Primary Care Residency Expansion Program, and Area Health Education Centers.

Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) from determining physician fees for payments under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act by consulting with physician organizations or entities unless at least 50% of the members are primary care physicians.

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend the Medicare incentive payment program for primary care services. Amends title XIX (Medicaid) to permanently apply the Medicare payment rate floor to primary care services furnished under Medicaid.

Requires medical schools receiving federal funds to maintain a family medicine or primary care department.

Amends Medicare provisions related to payments for graduate medical education costs to permit HHS to increase the resident limit for additional positions in family medicine.

Prohibits health care providers accepting payments under Medicare or Medicaid from charging uninsured individuals a higher rate for a medical service than the provider would receive under Medicare for the same service.

Date: 2014-04-09
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Health Care Fairness and Stability Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to provide a temporary shift in the scheduled collection of payments for the transitional reinsurance program intended to help stabilize premiums for coverage in the individual health insurance markets from 2014 through 2016.

Amends PPACA to delay the collection of reinsurance payments from health insurance issuers and third party administrators of certain self-insured group health plans until January 1, 2018.

Amends PPACA to change the formula for determining the amount of contributions collected for payments to health insurance issuers that cover high risk individuals in the individual market.

 

Date: 2014-04-10
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Family Coverage Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretaries of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury have the administrative authority, within their respective jurisdictions, to apply the affordability provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act so as to expand access to affordable health insurance coverage for working families without further legislation.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the affordability requirement for the tax credit for health care premium assistance to provide that an employee is eligible for premium assistance if his or her required contribution to an employer-sponsored health care plan does not exceed 9.5% of family household income.

Date: 2014-06-05
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Charity Care Expansion Act of 2014 - 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: 2014-06-18
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Auto Enroll Repeal Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to repeal the requirement that employers with more than 200 full-time employees that offer enrollment in one or more health benefits plans enroll automatically all new full-time employees in one of those plans.

Date: 2014-06-26
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Labor and employment
Preventive Care Coverage Notification Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of the Treasury to jointly develop requirements for employers exempted from covering mandated health services to notify current and prospective employees of the employer's exemption and provide employees with a description of the specific items and services that are not covered.

Date: 2014-07-17
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medicare CGM Access Act of 2014 - 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.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a fee schedule and ensure that CGM qualified individuals are furnished with appropriate device components.

Date: 2014-07-30
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Veterans TRICARE Choice Act - Allows an individual who is eligible to participate in the TRICARE program (a Department of Defense [DOD] managed health care program) to: (1) elect to be ineligible to enroll in such program, (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.

Date: 2014-07-30
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Obamacare Opt-Out Act of 2014 - 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: 2014-07-31
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Heath Care Consumer Choices Preservation Act - Prohibits automatic renewal for 2015 of an individual's health plan purchased through a health exchange for coverage in 2014 unless the 2015 premiums are the same as the 2014 premiums (before and after federal subsidies) or the individual requests automatic renewal.

Date: 2014-09-11
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Employee Health Care Protection Act of 2014 - Permits a health insurance issuer that has in effect health insurance coverage in the group market on any date during 2013 to continue offering such coverage for sale during 2014 outside of a health care exchange established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Treats such coverage as a grandfathered health plan for purposes of an individual meeting the requirement to maintain minimum essential health coverage.

Date: 2014-09-15
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Affordable Health Insurance for the Middle Class Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) expand eligibility for the health care premium assistance refundable tax credit by defining an "applicable taxpayer" as a taxpayer whose household income does not exceed 600% of the federal poverty line (currently, 400%), and (2) increase the excise tax rate for small cigars and small cigarettes.

Date: 2014-09-18
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
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: 2014-12-11
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
CHAMPVA Children's Protection Act of 2015

Increases from 23 to 26 the maximum age of eligibility for certain dependent children of veterans for medical care under CHAMPVA (the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs [VA]).

Date: 2015-01-08
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
American Job Protection Act 

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal provisions added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requiring certain employers who have a workforce of 50 or more full-time employees to provide health insurance coverage for their employees.

Date: 2015-01-09
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medal of Honor Priority Care Act

Increases, from third to first, the priority for enrollment in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system given to medal of honor recipients, regardless of the date on which the medal is awarded.

Makes medal of honor recipients eligible for VA: (1) hospital, nursing home, and domiciliary care; (2) extended care services for non-service-connected disabilities, without having to make a copayment for such services; and (3) medications, without having to make a copayment for such medications.

Date: 2015-01-12
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Care for All Act of 2015

This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to allow catastrophic plans to be offered as qualified health plans to any individual in the individual or group market. (Qualified health plans are sold on health insurance exchanges, are eligible for premium subsidies, and fulfill an individual's requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage.) Currently, to be a qualified health plan, a catastrophic plan must enroll only individuals who are below age 30 and exempt from minimum essential coverage requirements.

Date: 2015-01-14
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to revise requirements permitting multiemployer plans to adopt alternative rules for computing the payment of an employer's withdrawal liability to include a plan in critical status whose plan sponsor determines it cannot be expected to emerge from that status by the end of the rehabilitation period.

Requires any such rule to become effective 90 days after adoption unless the corporation disapproves it before the end of the 90-day period (subject to tolling while a request by the corporation for additional information is pending).

Authorizes a corporation to disapprove a rule only if it creates an unreasonable risk of loss to plan participants and beneficiaries or to the corporation.

Date: 2015-01-21
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Labor and employment
Action for Dental Health Act 2015

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize oral health promotion and disease prevention programs through FY2020.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may award grants or enter into contracts to obtain portable or mobile dental equipment and pay operational costs for the provision of free dental services to underserved populations.

The CDC may also award grants or enter into contracts to collaborate with state, county, or local public officials and other stakeholders to develop and implement initiatives to: (1) improve oral health education and dental disease prevention; (2) make the health care delivery system providing dental services more accessible and efficient through the development and expansion of outreach programs that facilitate the establishment of dental homes; (3) reduce geographic, language, cultural, and similar barriers in the provision of dental services; (4) reduce the use of emergency departments by those who seek dental services more appropriately delivered in a dental primary care setting; or (5) facilitate the provision of dental care to nursing home residents who are disproportionately affected by lack of care.

Date: 2015-01-27
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Health Care Choice Act of 2015

Repeals the health insurance and health coverage expansion requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and related requirements of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Restores provisions of law amended or repealed by those provisions.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide that the laws of the state designated by a health insurance issuer (primary state) 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 that state, subject to certain restrictions imposed by that state.

 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 Government Accountability Office to study the effect of this Act on specified health insurance issues.

Date: 2015-01-27
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medicare Beneficiary Preservation of Choice Act of 2015

 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to repeal the allowance for disenrollment, between January 1 and March 15 of each year, only from an MedicareAdvantage plan to elect enrollment in the original Medicare fee-for-service program.

Restores the option under previous law to elect to change from a MedicareAdvantage to the original Medicare fee-for-service plan, or from the original Medicare fee-for-service to a MedicareAdvantage plan, once a year during the first three months.

Date: 2015-01-28
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Seniors' Rights to Know Act

 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) part C (Medicare+Choice) of the Social Security Act to require the information the Secretary of Health and Human Services provides to promote informed choice on available part C coverage options to describe the changes for the plan year made by a Medicare Advantage (MA) organization, with respect to the MA plan it offers, pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Allows such information to assess the effect of such provisions and amendments on MA-eligible individuals who enroll under the plan.

Prohibits the Secretary from disapproving the inclusion of any such information in marketing materials or application forms unless it is factually inaccurate for the plan year for which the information is provided or any preceding plan year beginning after March 23, 2010.

Date: 2015-01-30
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act

 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.

Amends SSAct title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP) to require a state CHIP plan also to provide 12-month continuous enrollment for an eligible individual.

Date: 2015-02-04
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015

 Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to the ambulance fee schedule to: (1) increase the conversion factor for ground ambulance services in the formula for determining the appropriate fee, and (2) increase the mileage rate for such services.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study how the conversion factor should be modified, if at all, to take into account the cost of providing ambulance services in urban, rural, and super-rural areas.

Directs the Secretary to establish a process to determine, in advance of furnishing end stage renal disease ambulance services, whether payment for them may not be made because they are not covered or because they are excluded from coverage. Prohibits any payment unless the Secretary determines, pursuant to this process, that the service meets coverage requirements.

Directs the Secretary to develop a data collection system for ambulance providers to collect cost, revenue, utilization, and other appropriate information.

Date: 2015-02-04
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act

Directs the Department of Defense (DOD), no later than August 31, 2015, to complete development of a plan to provide chiropractic health care services and benefits for certain covered beneficiaries as a permanent part of DOD's TRICARE program. Requires plan implementation by January 31, 2016.

Date: 2015-02-05
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Access to Professional 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: 2015-02-09
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Veterans TRICARE Choice Act

 Allows an individual who is eligible to participate in the TRICARE program (a Department of Defense [DOD] managed health care program) to: (1) elect to be ineligible to enroll in such program, (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.

Requires DOD to: (1) 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; and (2) report to Congress, annually, on elections by TRICARE-eligible individuals under this Act.

Date: 2015-02-11
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
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: 2015-02-12
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Health Freedom for Seniors Act

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax-free transfers of required distributions after age 70 1/2 from an individual retirement account (IRA) and other tax-exempt retirement accounts to a health savings account. Exempts such transfers from the excise tax on excess contributions to tax-favored accounts and annuities.

Date: 2015-02-13
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Patient Access to Disposable Medical Technology Act of 2015

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover substitute disposable medical technology, subject it to a special payment rule, and exempt it from competitive acquisition.

Date: 2015-02-20
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medicaid Physician Self-Referral Act of 2015

 Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) with respect to physician self-referral limitations to repeal the prohibition against payment of federal funds to a state for medical assistance expenditures for a designated health service furnished to an individual on the basis of a referral (self-referral) that would result in denial of payment under SSAct title XVIII (Medicare).

Requires a state plan for medical assistance to prohibit payment for a Medicaid designated health service furnished to an individual on the basis of a physician's referral if the physician (or an immediate family member) has an ownership or investment interest or a compensation arrangement with the entity furnishing the service that would not comply with Medicare requirements.

Requires application of certain reporting requirements and sanctions to a provider of a Medicaid designated health service the same way they apply under Medicare.

Amends SSAct title XVIII to: (1) apply the False Claims Act to violations of the self-referral prohibition, and (2) declare the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue regulations under Medicaid limited to the application of self-referral limitations to state plan requirements.

Directs the Secretary to establish a protocol consistent with the Medicare self-referral disclosure protocol required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that enables health care providers to disclose an actual or potential violation of Medicare self-referral limitations as applied to Medicaid.

Date: 2015-02-25
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Health Savings Account Act 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the maximum amount that an individual participating in a health savings account may contribute to such an account to match the amount of the deductible and out-of-pocket expenses that such individual pays under a high deductible health plan.

Date: 2015-02-27
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act

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, 2014, and (2) all medical centers by December 31, 2016.

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

Date: 2015-02-27
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Health Savings Act of 2015

Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to health savings accounts (HSAs), to: (1) allow an additional tax deduction for amounts paid to the HSA of a taxpayer's child or grandchild; (2) allow a rollover of HSA funds to the child, parent, or grandparent of an account holder; (3) increase the maximum HSA contribution limit to match the amount of the deductible and out-of-pocket expenses under a high deductible health plan; and (4) expand the definition of an HSA compatible plan to include bronze, silver, and catastrophic plans on an insurance exchange.

Amends the federal bankruptcy code to treat HSAs in the same manner as individual retirement accounts for purposes of determining exemptions from the bankruptcy estate.

Date: 2015-03-02
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Medical Freedom Act of 2015

This bill repeals provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 relating to health insurance, health savings accounts, and health flexible spending accounts, including provisions prohibiting annual or lifetime limits on benefits, requiring preventive care without cost sharing, requiring dependent coverage until age 26, prohibiting preexisting condition exclusions, guaranteeing availability and renewability of coverage, and prohibiting payments for over-the-counter medications from health savings accounts and health flexible spending arrangements. Provisions of law amended by those provisions are restored as if PPACA and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 had not been enacted.

“Qualified health plan” is expanded to include any health plan. Currently, a health plan must provide essential health benefits and meet other requirements to be a qualified health plan. (Under PPACA, qualified health plans are sold on health insurance exchanges, are eligible for premium subsidies, and fulfill an individual's requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage.)

A qualified health plan is allowed to provide coverage through any qualified direct primary care medical home plan. Currently, in such an arrangement, the qualified direct primary care medical home plan must coordinate its services with the qualified health plan and meet other requirements.

Dental plans no longer need to provide pediatric dental benefits to be offered on a health insurance exchange.

Date: 2015-03-04
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Restoring Access to Medication and Improving Health Savings Act of 2016 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the rules that apply to health savings accounts (HSAs) and overpayments of subsidies under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Restoring Access to Medication Act of 2016 

The bill repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, as added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, that limit payments for medications from HSAs, 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).

Health Care Security Act of 2016 

The bill modifies the rules for HSAs with respect to catch-up contributions for married couples, medical expenses incurred before an HSA is established, and contribution limits.

If both spouses of a married couple have family coverage under a high deductible health plan, each spouse may make catch-up contributions to the same HSA. (Catch-up contributions are additional contributions which individuals who are at least 55 years of age may make to an HSA.)

If an HSA is established within 60 days of the beginning of coverage under a high deductible health plan, any distribution from the HSA used to pay a qualified medical expense incurred during that 60-day period after the health coverage began is excludible from gross income. (Under current law, the medical expense must be incurred on or after the date that the HSA is established.)

The bill increases the maximum contribution limits for HSAs to equal the maximum for the sum of the annual deductible and out-of-pocket expenses that may be required to be paid for covered benefits under a high deductible health plan.

Protecting Taxpayers by Recovering Improper Obamacare Subsidy Overpayments Act 

The bill eliminates 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: 2015-03-04
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Taxation
Health Insurance Freedom Act of 2015

This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to allow health insurance that meets state and federal benefit requirements as of October 1, 2013, to be sold on health insurance exchanges. Such insurance fulfills an individual's requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage but is not eligible for premium assistance and is not treated as a bronze, silver, gold, or platinum plan. Currently, health insurance must provide the essential health benefits to be sold on health insurance exchanges and fulfill an individual's requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage.

Date: 2015-03-10
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Self-Insurance Protection Act

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the definition of "health insurance coverage" a stop-loss policy obtained by a self-insured health plan or a sponsor of a self-insured group health plan to reimburse the plan or sponsor for losses incurred in providing health benefits to plan participants in excess of a level set forth in the stop-loss policy.

Date: 2015-03-18
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
This bill amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 to permit an affected eligible beneficiary who was enrolled in TRICARE Prime as of September 30, 2013, and as of December 25, 2013, resided farther than 100 miles from a military medical treatment facility, to make the one-time election to continue TRICARE Prime coverage.

Makes this Act effective as if included in the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014.

Date: 2015-03-19
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 2015

 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 a participating or non-participating physician or practitioner) for any item or service covered by Medicare. Allows such beneficiaries to 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.

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

Requires a Medicare beneficiary to 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. Allows a beneficiary, however, to negotiate, as a term of the contract, for the eligible professional to file such claims on the beneficiary's behalf.

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

Date: 2015-03-26
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2015

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the exclusion, and allow coverage, of hearing aids and examinations for them.

The Government Accountability Office is directed to study programs that provide assistance for hearing aids and related examinations for individuals with hearing loss.

Date: 2015-03-26
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health
Health Insurance Freedom Act of 2015

Permits a health insurance issuer that had in effect health insurance coverage in the group or individual market on any date during 2013 to continue offering that coverage 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.

Applies only to coverage in states where the state insurance commissioner elects to apply these provisions.

Date: 2015-03-26
Topic: Health (Insurance)
Subject: Health