Bill > HR7023

This bill, titled the "Affordable Consumer Health Options and Insurance Competition Enhancement Act" or "Affordable CHOICE Act," proposes to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to establish a new government-run health insurance plan, referred to as the "public health insurance option." This option would be offered through the Health Insurance Marketplaces, which are platforms established by the PPACA where individuals can shop for and enroll in health insurance plans. The primary goal of this public option is to provide affordable, high-quality coverage and increase competition and stability in the health insurance market. The Secretary of Health and Human Services would be responsible for establishing and administering this plan, ensuring it meets certain quality and access standards. The public option would offer different plan levels, similar to existing private plans, and would be required to comply with most of the same regulations as other qualified health plans. To help guide its implementation, states could establish advisory councils composed of consumers and providers to offer recommendations on policies and operations. The bill outlines how the public option would be financed through premiums, which would be set by the Secretary and adjusted geographically, and how healthcare providers would be reimbursed, with a preference for negotiated rates but a fallback to Medicare fee-for-service rates if negotiations fail. It also includes provisions for start-up funding and establishes an account to manage the plan's finances. The bill aims to ensure that providers participating in Medicare or Medicaid would automatically be part of the public option unless they opt out, while also creating a process for other providers to join.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7023/all-info