H.R. 150 (103rd): Health Care Choice and Access Improvement Act of 1993

Introduced:
Jan 05, 1993 (103rd Congress, 1993–1994)
Sponsor:
Rep. Dennis “Denny” Hastert [R-IL14]
Status:
Died (Referred to Committee)

The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. H.R. stands for House of Representatives bill.

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Status

This bill was introduced on January 5, 1993, in a previous session of Congress, but was not enacted.

Progress
Introduced Jan 05, 1993
Cosponsors
16 cosponsors (16R) (show)
Committees

House Energy and Commerce

House Judiciary

House Ways and Means

The committee chair determines whether a bill will move past the committee stage.

Full Title

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve access to health care, and for other purposes.

Summary

No summaries available.

Text

Read Bill Text »

Last updated Jan 27, 1994.
158 pages

Primary Source

View on THOMAS (The Library of Congress)

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Citation

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GovTrack’s Bill Summary

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Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.

1/5/1993--Introduced.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I - Family Health and Wellness Savings Plan Title II: Tax Treatment of Long-Term Care Insurance and Plans Subtitle A: Treatment of Long-Term Care Insurance Subtitle B: Employer Funding of Medical Benefits Subtitle C: Reverse Mortgage Insurance for Older Americans Subtitle D: Income Tax Credits Subtitle E: Treatment of Accelerated Death Benefits Subtitle F: Federal National Long-Term Care Reinsurance Corporation Title III: Malpractice Liability Reform Title IV: Working Americans Access To Health Care Subtitle A: Increase in Small Employer Access to Affordable Health Insurance Subtitle B: Equalization of Tax Benefits for Self-Employed Persons Under Certain Plans Subtitle C: Managed Care Rights Subtitle D: Study and Report Title V: Administrative Cost Savings Subtitle A: Standardization of Claims Processing Subtitle B: Electronic Medical Data Standards Subtitle C: Development and Distribution of Comparative Value Information Subtitle D: Additional Standards and Requirements; Research and Demonstrations Health Care Choice and Access Improvement Act of 1993
Title I - Family Health and Wellness Savings Plan
Section 101 -
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individuals a tax deduction for contributions made to a medical care savings account established for the benefit of an eligible individual. Defines an eligible individual as one who: (1) is not covered by an employer-provided group health plan; or (2) is covered by a qualified employer-provided catastrophic coverage health plan but not by any other health plan. Allows such deduction in arriving at adjusted gross income. Includes any non-medical distributions from such an account in gross income and assesses an additional tax. Establishes an excise tax for excess contributions to medical care savings accounts.
Section 102 -
Allows the transfer of unused amounts in flexible spending accounts of cafeteria plans to medical savings accounts.
Section 103 -
Allows the full deduction for medical, dental, etc., expenses for amounts paid for qualified catastrophic coverage health plans.
Title II - Tax Treatment of Long-Term Care Insurance and Plans
Section 201 -
Provides for the treatment of long-term care insurance as: (1) accident and health insurance for life insurance company taxation; and (2) a tax-free fringe benefit.
Section 203 -
Excludes from gross income amounts withdrawn from individual retirement accounts or qualified pension plans for such insurance.
Section 204 -
Permits the non-taxable exchange of life insurance policies for long-term care insurance by individuals over age 59 1/2.
Section 211 -
Revises provisions governing retiree medical benefits. Authorizes employer health benefit account contribution deductions.
Section 212 -
Imposes a medical benefits early distribution penalty and an excise tax on allocated assets not used to provide retiree benefits.
Section 221 -
Amends the National Housing Act to limit insurance of elderly homeowner home equity conversion mortgages.
Section 231 -
Allows credits for: (1) households including relatives or dependents requiring custodial care; and (2) the long-term care expenses of independent persons.
Section 241 -
Allows accelerated death benefits to be: (1) paid to certain individuals; and (2) treated as life insurance.
Section 251 -
Authorizes incorporation of the Federal National Long-Term Care Reinsurance Corporation.
Title III - Malpractice Liability Reform
Section 302 -
Declares that a State meets the requirements of these provisions if it has enacted laws or regulations: (1) regarding health care liability actions, allowing several but not joint liability for noneconomic damages, limiting the dollar amount of noneconomic damages, mandating offsets for collateral source payments, regulating the treatment of payments for future economic losses, limiting attorney's fees, and providing special rules for certain obstetric services; (2) implementing at least one mediation or pretrial screening panel; and (3) taking specified steps regarding quality assurance reform.
Section 305 -
Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to reduce payments to hospitals (regarding Medicare) and States (regarding Medicaid) in States not in compliance. Makes additional hospital payments in States in compliance.
Section 306 -
Amends Federal law relating to tort claims against the United States to set forth special rules similar to the State health care liability reform requirements under this title.
Title IV - Working Americans Access to Health Care
Section 401 -
Provides for model standards regarding requirements of this title. Allows more stringent State standards.
Section 402 -
Preempts certain State laws concerning small employer health benefit plans.
Section 403 -
Requires small employer carriers to offer MedEquity plans, defined as: (1) providing only basic benefits; (2) guaranteeing issue; (3) meeting writing, premium increase, and market reentry standards; and (4) providing for cost containment. Requires each plan to accept every small employer applicant and enroll every full time employee applicant. Provides for cost containment models.
Section 404 -
Sets forth requirements regarding pre-existing conditions, premiums, rating practices, actuarial certification, registration, minimum participation, renewability, premium increases, and market reentry.
Section 406 -
Provides for reinsurance models, requiring establishment of mechanisms in each State.
Section 409 -
Sets forth requirements for being considered a small employer purchasing group. Preempts State laws, with regard to such groups, regarding health plans, premium taxes, and managed care.
Section 411 -
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase and make permanent health insurance deductions for self-employed individuals.
Section 421 -
Preempts State laws relating to reimbursement rates, selective contracting, differential financial incentives, and utilization review methods.
Title V - Administrative Cost Savings
Section 501 -
Provides for standards regarding medical data elements, uniform claims forms and data transmission.
Section 512 -
Requires electronic maintenance or transmittal by: (1) Medicare-participating and veterans' hospitals; and (2) providers required under a Federal program to transmit data.
Section 514 -
Prohibits benefit plans from requiring data elements not in the standards.
Section 515 -
Establishes a standards advisory commission. Authorizes appropriations.
Section 521 -
Authorizes grants for comparative value information systems covering service prices and quality and outcomes data. Authorizes appropriations. Mandates similar Federal information.
Section 524 -
Mandates model systems for such information. Authorizes standards and appropriations.
Section 531 -
Provides for magnetized Medicare and Medicaid cards. Mandates a system on plans that are primary Medicare and Medicaid payors. Authorizes appropriations.
Section 532 -
Preempts State laws requiring written records.
Section 533 -
Requires benefit plans to use social security number identifiers.
Section 534 -
Provides for standards regarding coordination of benefits.
Section 535 -
Mandates grants regarding patient care application of information systems. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes grants regarding: (1) communications between plan and provider systems; (2) regional or community-based clinical information systems; and (3) developing data elements. Authorizes appropriations.

House Republican Conference Summary

The summary below was written by the House Republican Conference, which is the caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives.

No summary available.

House Democratic Caucus Summary

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The bill contains the following citations to other parts of U.S. law:

United States Code

The United States Code is the compilation of permanent laws enacted by Congress. Temporary and other non-permanent laws do not appear in the United States Code. (About half of the United States Code is the law itself, called positive law. The other half is merely a compilation of the laws but has no legal significance.)

Other Citations

  • 28 U.S.C. Chapter 171