Legislation Library

TypeSessionHouse of Congress
TitleLast Updatedsort icon
H.R. 1200 (McDermott)

Establishes a state-based universal health care system assuring comprehensive health benefits to all U.S. residents.

07/10/2009
H.R. 15 (Dingell)

Establishes a national health insurance plan that would cover virtually all persons in the U.S. not covered under Medicare, and would provide supplementary benefits to Medicare beneficiaries.
H.R. 1708 (Green) / S. 700 (Bingaman)

Would phase out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits. Would eliminate the 24-month waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions (in the same way as for individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

08/04/2009
H.R. 193 (Stark)

The bill would create a new Title XXII in the Social Security Act, establishing AmeriCare, to provide coverage to all residents of the U.S.  Benefits would be similar to Medicare but modified to include additional benefits for children and pregnant women, and more coverage of preventive and mental health services and substance abuse treatment. and could be provided by private insurers under rules similar to those governing the Medicare Advantage program.  Coverage of prescription drugs and cost sharing would differ from current Medicare. Individuals would obtain coverage through AmeriCare or could opt out if they had equivalent coverage provided through their employer.  AmeriCare would be financed through contributions from employers, individuals, and states.  Premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance would be subsidized for lower-income individuals. 

H.R. 194 (Stark)

The bill would create a new public health insurance program (new title XXII of the Social Security Act), modeled after Medicare, called MediKids that would be available to all children born after 2008. These children would automatically be enrolled in Medikids but could transfer to equivalent or better insurance programs, including private insurance, SCHIP, or Medicaid. Eligibility for older children in Medikids would be phased in over five years.
H.R. 2 (Public Law 111-3)
Became Law

Provides increased appropriations for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP or CHIP) through 2013, provides states the option of covering pregnant women under SCHIP and certain legal immigrant children and pregnant women under Medicaid and SCHIP, phases out coverage of childless adults, limits coverage of parents, reduces federal matching payments for children above 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL), provides for improved outreach and enrollment of eligible children, requires dental coverage and mental health parity, gives states an option for using SCHIP funds for employer plan premium assistance, requires development of child health quality measures and makes other changes to SCHIP and Medicaid.

07/15/2009
H.R. 3200 (Dingell)

The bill would expand health insurance coverage by requiring that all individuals have health insurance and that employers (with exceptions for certain smaller employers) play or pay, that is, either sponsor and contribute to insurance for their employees or pay into a trust fund that would be used to help finance expanded coverage. The bill would also create a national Health Insurance Exchange through which individuals and smaller employers could purchase health insurance from among an array of private options and a public option, all meeting certain federal standards. Premium and cost-sharing credits would be available to individuals and families with incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and Medicaid would be expanded to cover individuals with incomes not exceeding 133% of FPL. Tax credits would be available to certain smaller employers who provide health insurance coverage to their workers.

Individuals with existing insurance coverage would generally be able to keep that coverage, although employer-based plans would eventually have to meet specific requirements, including those related to the adequacy of the benefit package. Newly sold individual and group insurance would have to comply with the bill’s insurance, consumer protection, and benefit requirements. Most requirements would apply in the same way to insurance sold through the Exchange and outside the Exchange. Most of the insurance requirements apply as of Year 1 (2013).

The bill also includes other provisions related to Medicare, Medicaid, the health care work force, and other aspects of the health care delivery system.

Financing would largely come from savings in Medicare and Medicaid through a variety of program changes and from a surtax on incomes of very high income taxpayers.

08/04/2009
H.R. 3400 (Price)

The bill would provide a tax deduction and an income-related refundable tax credit for health insurance purchased by individuals (i.e., outside the group insurance market). The tax credit would be available only to individuals living in states operating a high-risk health insurance pool; and federal grant funding would be provided to states for such pools. Incentives would be given for employers to offer employees the option of a contribution toward other health insurance coverage in lieu of the employer plan. State insurance laws would be overridden to permit the sale of individual health insurance across state lines. Federal rules would be established and application of state laws preempted for insurance provided through association health plans and individual membership associations. Expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) would be prohibited for those with incomes above 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and restricted for those between 200% and 300% of FPL. States would be required to offer group coverage and other private coverage options under Medicaid and CHIP. Federal limits on medical liability claims would be established. Medicare physician payment would be modified. The bill would be financed through reduced discretionary spending, repeal of stimulus bill provisions and other provisions.

08/24/2009
H.R. 676 (Conyers)

Creates a universal, comprehensive public health insurance program.
PL 111-5 (H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009)
Became Law

The Act includes a new temporary federal subsidy for COBRA health insurance continuation coverage premiums (hereafter referred to as “COBRA subsidy”).  It also provides for a temporary increase and expansion of the Health Care Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC).  In addition, the Act includes new appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency, help for the states and other provisions.

06/15/2009
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