Index for HR3962: Affordable Health Care for America Act

To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes.

Mr. Dingell (for himself, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Waxman, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Stark, Mr. Pallone, and Mr. Andrews) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, and the Budget, 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

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

(a) Amendments to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Subpart B of part 7 of subtitle B of title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1185 et seq.), as amended by section 108, is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(a) In general.—A group health plan and a health insurance issuer providing health insurance coverage in connection with a group health plan, may not impose an aggregate dollar lifetime limit with respect to benefits payable under the plan or coverage.

“(b) Definition.—In this section, the term ‘aggregate dollar lifetime limit’ means, with respect to benefits under a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered in connection with a group health plan, a dollar limitation on the total amount that may be paid with respect to such benefits under the plan or health insurance coverage with respect to an individual or other coverage unit on a lifetime basis.”.

(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in section 1 of such Act, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 715 the following new item:

(b) Amendments to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter B of chapter 100 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended by section 108(b), is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

“(a) In general.—A group health plan may not impose an aggregate dollar lifetime limit with respect to benefits payable under the plan.

“(b) Definition.—In this section, the term ‘aggregate dollar lifetime limit’ means, with respect to benefits under a group health plan a dollar limitation on the total amount that may be paid with respect to such benefits under the plan with respect to an individual or other coverage unit on a lifetime basis.”.

(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for subchapter B of chapter 100 of such Code, as amended by section 108(b), is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

(c) Amendment to the Public Health Service Act relating to the group market.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Subpart 2 of part A of title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–4 et seq.) as amended by section 108(c)(1), is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(a) In General.—A group health plan and a health insurance issuer providing health insurance coverage in connection with a group health plan, may not impose an aggregate dollar lifetime limit with respect to benefits payable under the plan or coverage.

“(b) Definition.—In this section, the term ‘aggregate dollar lifetime limit’ means, with respect to benefits under a group health plan or health insurance coverage, a dollar limitation on the total amount that may be paid with respect to such benefits under the plan or health insurance coverage with respect to an individual or other coverage unit on a lifetime basis.”.

(2) INDIVIDUAL MARKET.—Subpart 2 of part B of title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–51 et seq.), as amended by section 108(c)(2), is amended by adding at the end the following:

“The provisions of section 2709 shall apply to health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer in the individual market in the same manner as they apply to health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer in connection with a group health plan in the small or large group market.”.

(d) Effective dates.—

(1) The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to group health plans (and health insurance issuers offering group health insurance coverage) for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.

(2) The amendment made by subsection (c)(2) shall apply with respect to health insurance coverage offered, sold, issued, renewed, in effect, or operated in the individual market on or after such date.