Bill > S1481

Introduced Session

A bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to provide for a special enrollment period for pregnant women, and for other purposes. This bill expands health insurance coverage availability for pregnant individuals. It requires health insurers, health insurance exchanges, and group health plans to offer a special enrollment period to pregnant individuals. The special enrollment period offered by an insurer or exchange must begin when the pregnancy is reported to the insurer or exchange. The special enrollment period offered by a group health plan must begin when the pregnancy is reported to the plan or is confirmed by a health care provider. The bill also makes pregnancy a qualifying life event for the purpose of enrolling in a federal employee health benefit plan. Additionally, a group health plan or health insurer that covers dependents must provide coverage for maternity care to all covered individuals. Any individual who is eligible for Medicaid and is, or becomes, pregnant maintains such eligibility for one year after the end of the pregnancy. The bill revises the range in which a state must establish a maximum level of family income for pregnant women and infants to be eligible for Medicaid. The upper limit of the range is eliminated and the lower limit is set to the level in place on January 1, 2014.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Sherrod Brown (D)*,  Tammy Baldwin (D),  Richard Blumenthal (D),  Cory Booker (D),  Ben Cardin (D),  Bob Casey (D),  Chris Coons (D),  Catherine Cortez Masto (D),  Kirsten Gillibrand (D),  Kamala Harris (D),  Maggie Hassan (D),  Doug Jones (D),  Tim Kaine (D),  Angus King (I),  Amy Klobuchar (D),  Patrick Leahy (D),  Ed Markey (D),  Jeff Merkley (D),  Gary Peters (D),  Jacky Rosen (D),  Tina Smith (D),  Debbie Stabenow (D),  Jon Tester (D),  Chris Van Hollen (D),  Sheldon Whitehouse (D), 

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (on 05/15/2019)

Official Document