Equal Healthcare Access Act - Requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to administer a health insurance program for non-federal employees under the existing Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. Extends eligibility for such program to any qualified individual (i.e., any individual other than an individual who is enrolled or eligible to be enrolled in FEHB, including as a family member).
Authorizes employers, under arrangements satisfactory to OPM, to: (1) offer their employees coverage under such program, and (2) make a contribution toward the cost of such coverage.
Deems a health care plan under such program to be a plan offered through an Exchange established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for purposes of complying with the individual mandate to purchase health insurance.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3319 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3319
To modernize the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 23, 2013
Mr. Issa (for himself, Mr. Clay, and Mr. Mulvaney) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and
Commerce and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as
fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To modernize the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Equal Healthcare Access Act''.
SEC. 2. ACCESS TO FEDERAL HEALTH INSURANCE.
(a) In General.--Subpart G of part III of title 5, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating chapters 89A and 89B as chapters 89B
and 89C, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after chapter 89 the following:
``CHAPTER 89A--HEALTH INSURANCE FOR NON-FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
``Sec.
``8921. Definitions.
``8922. Health insurance program.
``8923. Contracting requirement.
``8924. Eligibility to enroll.
``8925. Exceptions to provisions incorporated by reference.
``8926. Coordination and application provisions.
``Sec. 8921. Definitions
``For purposes of this chapter--
``(1) any term used in this chapter which is defined in
section 8901 shall have the same meaning as is given such term
under such section; and
``(2) the term `Office' means the Office of Personnel
Management.
``Sec. 8922. Health insurance program
``(a) In General.--The Office shall administer a health insurance
program for non-Federal employees in accordance with this chapter.
``(b) Regulations.--The Office shall prescribe regulations under
which, except as otherwise provided in this chapter and to the maximum
extent practicable, the provisions of chapter 89 shall be applied for
purposes of carrying out this chapter.
``Sec. 8923. Contracting requirement
``The Office shall, not later than 9 months after the date of the
enactment of the Equal Healthcare Access Act, enter into contracts with
qualified carriers to make health benefits plans available under this
chapter.
``Sec. 8924. Eligibility to enroll
``(a) In General.--Any qualified individual may enroll in a health
benefits plan under this chapter.
``(b) Qualified Individual Defined.--For purposes of this section,
the term `qualified individual' means any individual other than an
individual who is enrolled or eligible to be enrolled in a health
benefits plan under chapter 89, including as a family member.
``Sec. 8925. Exceptions to provisions incorporated by reference
``Notwithstanding any other provision of law--
``(1) subscription charges for a health benefits plan under
this chapter may differ between or among geographic regions;
and
``(2) an employer may, under arrangements satisfactory to
the Office--
``(A) offer coverage under this chapter to its
employees; and
``(B) make a contribution toward the cost of such
coverage.
``Sec. 8926. Coordination and application provisions
``(a) Coordination.--A health benefits plan under this chapter
shall be deemed to be a health plan offered through an Exchange
established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
(Public Law 111-148; 124 Stat. 119) for purposes of section 1312 of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 18032).
``(b) Application.--
``(1) In general.--In the case of a qualified individual
enrolled in a health benefits plan under this chapter--
``(A) for purposes of section 36B of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, such plan shall be treated as a
qualified health plan described in subsection (b)(2)(A)
thereof that was enrolled in through an Exchange
established by a State under section 1311 of the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; and
``(B) for purposes of section 1402 of the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18071),
such plan shall be treated as a qualified health plan
in the silver level of coverage in the individual
market offered through an Exchange.
``(2) Regulations.--The Office of Personnel Management, in
consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall
prescribe regulations necessary to carry out this
subsection.''.
(b) Clerical Amendments.--The table of chapters for part III of
title 5, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in the item relating to chapter 89A, by striking
``89A'' and inserting ``89B'';
(2) in the item relating to chapter 89B, by striking
``89B'' and inserting ``89C''; and
(3) by inserting after the item relating to chapter 89 the
following:
``89A. Health Insurance for Non-Federal Employees........... 8921''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line