summary
Introduced
03/09/2020
03/09/2020
In Committee
03/09/2020
03/09/2020
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
12/31/2020
12/31/2020
Introduced Session
116th Congress
Bill Summary
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide protections for consumers against excessive, unjustified, or unfairly discriminatory increases in premium rates. This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or the relevant state agency to ensure that any excessive, unjustified, or unfairly discriminatory premium rates for health care coverage are corrected before, or as soon as possible after, implementation, including through mechanisms such as denying rates, modifying rates, or requiring rebates to consumers. HHS may apply civil monetary penalties to health insurers that fail to comply with a corrective action taken by HHS and may decertify the plan as a qualified health plan. (Qualified health plans are sold on health insurance exchanges, the only plans eligible for premium subsidies, and meet the requirements for minimum essential coverage.) HHS must determine whether HHS or the state will undertake the corrective actions based on whether the state can adequately undertake the actions. The bill declares that the review by HHS of unreasonable increases in premiums does not prohibit a state from imposing on health insurers additional rate requirements that are more protective of consumers. The HHS review, which currently covers only premium increases, is expanded to include all rate increases.
AI Summary
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to provide protections for consumers against excessive, unjustified, or unfairly discriminatory increases in premium rates for health insurance coverage. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or the relevant state agency to ensure that any such rate increases are corrected before or as soon as possible after implementation, through mechanisms like denying, modifying, or requiring rebates to consumers. The bill also expands HHS's rate review authority to cover all rate increases, not just premium increases. It allows states to impose additional rate requirements on insurers that are more protective of consumers than the federal requirements. The bill also allows HHS to apply civil monetary penalties and decertify plans as qualified health plans if they fail to comply with corrective actions.
Committee Categories
Business and Industry
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (on 03/09/2020)
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/6136/all-info |
| BillText | https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr6136/BILLS-116hr6136ih.pdf |
| Bill | https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr6136/BILLS-116hr6136ih.pdf.pdf |
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