Health Care Affordability Act of 2019

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1868 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve affordability and reduce premium costs of health insurance for consumers. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 26, 2019 Ms. UNDERWOOD (for herself, Mr. GOMEZ, and Mr. O’HALLERAN) 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 improve affordability and reduce premium costs of health insur- ance for consumers. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Health Care Afford- 4 ability Act of 2019’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:59 Apr 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1868.IH H1868 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 1868 IH SEC. 2. IMPROVE AFFORDABILITY AND REDUCE PREMIUM 1 COSTS OF HEALTH INSURANCE FOR CON- 2 SUMERS. 3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 36B(b)(3)(A) of the In- 4 ternal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as fol- 5 lows: 6 ‘‘(A) APPLICABLE PERCENTAGE.—The ap- 7 plicable percentage for any taxable year shall be 8 the percentage such that the applicable percent- 9 age for any taxpayer whose household income is 10 within an income tier specified in the following 11 table shall increase, on a sliding scale in a lin- 12 ear manner, from the initial premium percent- 13 age to the final premium percentage specified in 14 such table for such income tier: 15 ‘‘In the case of household income (expressed as a percent of poverty line) within the following income tier: The initial premium percentage is— The final premium percentage is— Over 100.0 percent up to 133.0 percent .... 0.0 1.0 133.0 percent up to 150.0 percent ............. 1.0 2.0 150.0 percent up to 200.0 percent ............. 2.0 4.0 200.0 percent up to 250.0 percent ............. 4.0 6.0 250.0 percent up to 300.0 percent ............. 6.0 7.0 300.0 percent up to 400.0 percent ............. 7.0 8.5 400.0 percent and higher ........................... 8.5 8.5’’. (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 16 36B(c)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 17 amended by striking ‘‘but does not exceed 400 percent’’. 18 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:59 Apr 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1868.IH H1868 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 1868 IH (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 1 this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after 2 December 31, 2020. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:59 Apr 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1868.IH H1868 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS