Increasing Health Coverage through HRAs Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 5224 To codify certain rules related to health reimbursement arrangements and other account-based group health plans. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NOVEMBER 21, 2019 Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. BUDD, Mr. WESTERMAN, and Mr. SMUCKER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subse- quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To codify certain rules related to health reimbursement arrangements and other account-based group health plans. 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; FINDINGS. 3 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 4 ‘‘Increasing Health Coverage through HRAs Act’’. 5 (b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 6 (1) Permitting health reimbursement arrange- 7 ments to be used for the purchase of private insur- 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Dec 04, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5224.IH H5224 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 5224 IH ance will allow more small businesses to offer access 1 to quality health insurance coverage to their employ- 2 ees. 3 (2) Permitting health reimbursement arrange- 4 ments to be used for the purchase of private insur- 5 ance will increase the number of Americans with 6 health insurance coverage by as many as 800,000. 7 (3) Permitting health reimbursement arrange- 8 ments to be used for the purchase of private insur- 9 ance will significantly increase the number of Ameri- 10 cans obtaining coverage in the individual market, 11 leading to more choice, stability, innovation, and 12 lower premiums. 13 (4) The administration rule permitting health 14 reimbursement arrangements to be used for the pur- 15 chase of private insurance ensures that those with 16 pre-existing conditions will not pay more for cov- 17 erage by requiring workers within each class of em- 18 ployment to be offered the same coverage regardless 19 of health status. 20 SEC. 2. HEALTH REIMBURSEMENT ARRANGEMENTS AND 21 OTHER ACCOUNT-BASED GROUP HEALTH 22 PLANS. 23 The final rule (84 FR 28888) published on June 20, 24 2019, by the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Dec 04, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5224.IH H5224 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 5224 IH Labor, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services 1 (relating to health reimbursement arrangements and other 2 account-based group health plans) shall have the full force 3 and effect of law. 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Dec 04, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H5224.IH H5224 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS