summary
Introduced
05/01/2019
05/01/2019
In Committee
05/01/2019
05/01/2019
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
12/31/2020
12/31/2020
Introduced Session
116th Congress
Bill Summary
A bill to provide for the establishment of Medicare part E public health plans, and for other purposes. This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish public health insurance plans and addresses health insurance costs. Such public plans must be offered on health insurance exchanges and (1) meet the requirements of a qualified health plan; (2) cover benefits at the gold plan level; and (3) cover reproductive services, including abortions. Additionally, the bill makes a series of changes related to health insurance costs, including requiring employers to refer employees to health care navigators to assist with enrollment, establishing an annual limit on out-of-pocket costs for services under Medicare, providing HHS with the authority to negotiate prices under the Medicare prescription drug benefit program, expanding the premium-assistance credit by benchmarking the credit amount to the second-lowest cost gold plan and increasing the income threshold for eligibility, requiring qualified health plans to reduce cost sharing for low-income plan holders, providing funding for states to provide reinsurance to health insurance issuers and to assist individuals with out-of-pocket costs for plans offered through health insurance exchanges, applying the premium rate-setting requirements to large group health plans, and requiring HHS or states to take corrective actions to address unreasonable premium rates set by insurance issuers.
AI Summary
This bill, the Choose Medicare Act, proposes to establish public health insurance plans called "Medicare Part E" that would be offered on health insurance exchanges. These plans must cover essential health benefits at the gold plan level and include coverage for reproductive services like abortions. The bill also makes several changes related to health insurance costs, including: requiring employers to refer employees to health navigators, creating an annual out-of-pocket limit for Medicare fee-for-service benefits, allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate prescription drug prices under Medicare, expanding eligibility for premium assistance tax credits, increasing cost-sharing reductions for low-income plan holders, and providing funding for state reinsurance programs and cost-sharing assistance. The bill also expands the Affordable Care Act's rate review requirements to the large group market.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance
Sponsors (16)
Jeff Merkley (D)*,
Tammy Baldwin (D),
Richard Blumenthal (D),
Cory Booker (D),
Tammy Duckworth (D),
Dick Durbin (D),
Dianne Feinstein (D),
Kirsten Gillibrand (D),
Kamala Harris (D),
Martin Heinrich (D),
Chris Murphy (D),
Jack Reed (D),
Brian Schatz (D),
Jeanne Shaheen (D),
Tina Smith (D),
Chris Van Hollen (D),
Last Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (on 05/01/2019)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
Document Type | Source Location |
---|---|
State Bill Page | https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/1261/all-info |
BillText | https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s1261/BILLS-116s1261is.pdf |
Bill | https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s1261/BILLS-116s1261is.pdf.pdf |
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