Bill > HR6232

This bill, known as the HOPE Act (Bipartisan Healthcare Optimization, Protection, and Extension Act), makes several significant changes to healthcare insurance and tax credits. Primarily, it extends and modifies the enhanced premium tax credit for health insurance, expanding the income range for individuals eligible for subsidies from 400% to 935% of the federal poverty line through 2028. The bill introduces new provisions to prevent fraud in health insurance exchanges by establishing stricter penalties for agents and brokers who provide incorrect or fraudulent information, including civil penalties ranging from $10,000 to $200,000 and potential criminal charges. It also requires more rigorous verification processes for new enrollments, mandates that agents act in the best interests of enrollees, and creates mechanisms for tracking and auditing insurance agents and brokers. Additionally, the bill requires exchanges to regularly check the Death Master File to remove deceased individuals from health plans and mandates that exchanges notify individuals of their premium tax credit amount before enrollment. For plan year 2026, the bill extends the annual open enrollment period from November 1, 2025, to May 15, 2026, giving individuals a longer window to select health insurance coverage.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6232/all-info