Health Insurance Affordability Act of 1996

Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Assuring Availability and Continuity of Health Coverage Subtitle A: Guaranteed Access to Health Coverage Subtitle B: Provision of Benefits Subtitle C: Fair Rating Practices Subtitle D: Consumer Protections Subtitle E: Benefits Subtitle F: Standards and Certification; Enforcement; Preemption; General Provisions Subtitle G: Definitions; General Provisions Title II: Administrative Simplification Subtitle A: Standards for Data Elements and Transactions Subtitle B: Requirements with Respect to Certain Transactions and Information Subtitle C: Miscellaneous Provisions Title III: Antitrust Health Insurance Affordability Act of 1996 - Title I: Assuring Availability and Continuity of Health Coverage - Subtitle A: Guaranteed Access to Health Coverage - Requires carriers offering health coverage in the individual and small group market to make available standard and high-deductible coverage. Mandates a family option. Prohibits carriers from requiring limits based on health status, claims experience, or similar factors. (Sec. 102) Mandates acceptance of every small employer and qualifying individual. Allows financial capacity limits and provides for multiple employer welfare arrangement treatment. (Sec. 103) Prohibits denying, canceling, or refusing to renew coverage except for premium nonpayment or similar factors. (Sec. 104) Regulates preexisting condition exclusions and enrollment periods. Subtitle B: Provision of Benefits - Sets forth managed care requirements and mandates a utilization review report. Subtitle C: Fair Rating Practices - Regulates rating variations and mandates a model risk adjustment system. Subtitle D: Consumer Protections - Mandates disclosures by carriers and group plans. (Sec. 132) Regulates carrier remuneration and compensation to agents and brokers. (Sec. 133) Requires carriers and group plans to maintain written policies and procedures respecting advance directives. Subtitle E: Benefits - Regulates standard and high-deductible coverage. (Sec. 144) Mandates establishment of procedures for benefit valuation, the deductible amount for high-deductible coverage, and model benefit packages. (Sec. 145) Regulates the offering of supplemental benefits. (Sec. 146) Requires carriers to offer an option to treat children under 26 as family members. Subtitle F: Standards and Certification; Enforcement; Preemption; General Provisions - Mandates standards regarding this subtitle's requirements. Requires implementation and enforcement regarding carriers, insurance coverage, and group plans. Deems provisions of this title relating to group plans and employers to be provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a tax on a carrier's failure to comply with this Act's requirements. (Sec. 155) Prohibits a single employer plan from offering coverage other than through a carrier unless the plan has at least 100 eligible employees. Subtitle G: Definitions; General Provisions - Sets forth definitions for this Act and effective dates for this title. Title II: Administrative Simplification - Subtitle A: Standards for Data Elements and Transactions - Mandates standards under this subtitle that are: (1) consistent with reducing health care costs; and (2) in use and generally accepted, developed, or modified by standard-setting organizations accredited by the American National Standard Institute. (Sec. 212) Requires: (1) standards regarding electronic transmission of health information data elements; (2) a standard unique identifier for each individual, employer, plan sponsor, and health provider; (3) data element code sets; (4) technical standards consistent with network privacy standards; (5) regulations regarding electronic signature transmission and authentication; (6) direct laboratory claims submission; and (7) network privacy standards. Subtitle B: Requirements with Respect to Certain Transactions and Information - Requires transactions between plan sponsors and providers to use standard data elements. (Sec. 222) Requires a certified health information security organization to make non-identifiable health information available to Federal or State agencies. (Sec. 223) Requires a procedure under which a sponsor or provider that is unable to transmit standard data elements directly may comply with this part. Subtitle C: Miscellaneous Provisions - Mandates network operating standards and a network certification procedure. (Sec. 232) Prohibits requiring data elements or transmission inconsistent with this Act. Allows waivers. Requires anonymity for those reporting violations. (Sec. 233) Preempts contrary State law. Title III: Antitrust - Mandates: (1) guidelines on antitrust law application to health plan activities; and (2) a review process enabling plans to request a Federal antitrust conformity opinion.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 20 March 1996

   Introduced

   Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, the Judiciary, and Economic and Educational Opportunities, 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.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 20 March 1996

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 20 March 1996

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 20 March 1996

   Introduced

   Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, the Judiciary, and Economic and Educational Opportunities, 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.

   Source: IntroReferral

5. 26 March 1996

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

   Source: Committee

6. 29 March 1996

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Hazardous Materials.

   Source: Committee

7. 10 April 1996

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.

   Source: Committee

Votes

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Versions

• Introduced in House · 20 March 1996 · Official file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 20 March 1996

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 20 March 1996

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 20 March 1996

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Rep. Peterson, Douglas (Pete) [D-FL-2] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Moran, James P. [D-VA-8] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Dooley, Calvin M. [D-CA-20] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Baesler, Scotty [D-KY-6] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Berman, Howard L. [D-CA-26] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Brown, Corrine [D-FL-5] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Clement, Bob [D-TN-5] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Coleman, Ronald D. [D-TX-16] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Dellums, Ronald V. [D-CA-8] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Dixon, Julian C. [D-CA-28] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Fattah, Chaka [D-PA-2] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Fazio, Vic [D-CA-4] · D · Sponsor
• Del. Frazer, Victor O. [I-VI-At Large] · I · Sponsor
• ALCEE HASTINGS · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Hefner, W. G. (Bill) [D-NC-8] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Hilliard, Earl F. [D-AL-7] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Hinchey, Maurice D. [D-NY-22] · D · Sponsor
• Marcy Kaptur · D · Sponsor
• Rep. LaFalce, John J. [D-NY-36] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Lincoln, Blanche L. [D-AR] · D · Sponsor
• JOHN LEWIS · D · Sponsor
• Zoe Lofgren · D · Sponsor
• Rep. McKinney, Cynthia A. [D-GA-4] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Meek, Carrie P. [D-FL-17] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Minge, David [D-MN-2] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12] · D · Sponsor
• Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Oberstar, James L. [D-MN-8] · D · Sponsor
• Nancy Pelosi · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Poshard, Glenn [D-IL-22] · D · Sponsor
• LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Sabo, Martin Olav [D-MN-5] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · I · Sponsor
• Rep. Schroeder, Patricia [D-CO-1] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Stenholm, Charles W. [D-TX-17] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Stupak, Bart [D-MI-1] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Torres, Esteban Edward [D-CA-34] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Yates, Sidney R. [D-IL-9] · D · Sponsor
• James Clyburn · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Jefferson, William J. [D-LA-2] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Pastor, Ed [D-AZ-7] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Cramer, Robert E. (Bud), Jr. [D-AL-5] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Rose, Charlie [D-NC-7] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Thurman, Karen L. [D-FL-5] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Payne, Lewis F., Jr. [D-VA-5] · D · Sponsor
• Sheila Jackson Lee · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6] · D · Sponsor

Showing 48 of 59 sponsors and actors.

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