summary
Introduced
05/01/2019
05/01/2019
In Committee
05/02/2019
05/02/2019
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
12/31/2020
12/31/2020
Introduced Session
116th Congress
Bill Summary
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, called the Choose Medicare Act, would:
1. Require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish public health insurance plans called "Medicare Part E" that must be offered on health insurance exchanges, cover essential health benefits and reproductive services including abortions, and meet other requirements of qualified health plans.
2. Make changes related to health insurance costs, including requiring employers to refer employees to health care navigators, establishing an annual out-of-pocket limit for Medicare fee-for-service benefits, giving HHS authority to negotiate prices under the Medicare prescription drug benefit program, expanding the premium assistance tax credit, requiring qualified health plans to reduce cost-sharing for low-income enrollees, and providing funding for reinsurance and cost-sharing assistance.
3. Expand the rating rules under the Affordable Care Act to the large group health insurance market.
4. Enhance the ability of the Secretary of HHS and state insurance regulators to review and take corrective action against excessive, unjustified, or unfairly discriminatory health insurance rates.
Overall, the bill aims to expand access to affordable public health insurance coverage and take steps to control health care costs.
Committee Categories
Business and Industry, Health and Social Services
Sponsors (8)
Cedric Richmond (D)*,
Jared Huffman (D),
Ro Khanna (D),
Ann Kuster (D),
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D),
Chris Pappas (D),
Harley Rouda (D),
Jan Schakowsky (D),
Last Action
Subcommittee Hearings Held. (on 12/10/2019)
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/house-bill/2463/all-info |
| BillText | https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr2463/BILLS-116hr2463ih.pdf |
| Bill | https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr2463/BILLS-116hr2463ih.pdf.pdf |
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