Fair Access to Health Care Act

Fair Access to Health Care Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the health care insurance premium assistance tax credit, to provide for a cost-of-living adjustment to the 400% poverty line cap used to determine the eligibility of low-income taxpayers whose principal residence is located in a high cost area for such credit.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3986 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3986

 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to adjust the phaseout of 
 the health insurance tax credit for geographic variations in the cost-
                               of-living.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 4, 2014

  Mr. Thompson of California (for himself, Ms. Eshoo, Ms. Matsui, Ms. 
 Speier, Mr. Honda, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Farr, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Schiff, Mr. 
Lowenthal, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Ms. Esty, Mr. Israel, Mrs. Lowey, 
   Mr. Nadler, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Bishop of New York, Mrs. 
Negrete McLeod, and Mr. Peters of California) introduced the following 
      bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to adjust the phaseout of 
 the health insurance tax credit for geographic variations in the cost-
                               of-living.

    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 ``Fair Access to Health Care Act''.

SEC. 2. PHASEOUT OF HEALTH INSURANCE TAX CREDIT ADJUSTED TO TAKE INTO 
              ACCOUNT GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN THE COST-OF-LIVING.

    (a) In General.--Section 36B(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Geographic adjustment for cost-of-living.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In the case of a taxpayer whose 
                principal place of residence for any taxable year is 
                located in a high cost area, there shall be substituted 
                for each specified amount an amount which bears the 
                same proportion to such specified amount as the SPM 
                with respect to such high cost area bears to the 
                national average SPM.
                    ``(B) High cost area.--For purposes of this 
                paragraph, the term `high cost area' means any 
                metropolitan statistical area or non-metropolitan area 
                the SPM for which exceeds the national average SPM.
                    ``(C) Specified amounts.--For purposes of this 
                paragraph, the term `specified amount' means each of 
                the following:
                            ``(i) The `400' amount contained in the 
                        table in paragraph (3)(A)(i).
                            ``(ii) The `400' amount contained in 
                        subsection (c)(1)(A).
                    ``(D) SPM.--For purposes of this paragraph--
                            ``(i) In general.--The term `SPM' means, 
                        with respect to each calendar year, the 
                        Supplemental Poverty Measure as determined by 
                        the Bureau of the Census.
                            ``(ii) National average spm.--The national 
                        average SPM shall be determined without regard 
                        to Alaska and Hawaii.
                            ``(iii) Determination for taxable year 
                        based on preceding calendar year.--SPM with 
                        respect to any taxable year shall be determined 
                        on the basis of the calendar year preceding the 
                        calendar year in which the taxable year begins.
                    ``(E) Alternative measure of cost-of-living.--If 
                the Secretary determines that another measure of cost-
                of-living is more appropriate than the SPM for purposes 
                of this paragraph, the Secretary shall use such measure 
                in lieu of the SPM.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall apply 
to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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