GovTrack’s Bill Summary
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S. 3554 (110th): Affordable Coverage for Small Employers Act of 2008
- Introduced:
- Sep 24, 2008 (110th Congress, 2007–2009)
- Sponsor:
- Sen. Gordon Smith [R-OR]
- Status:
- Died (Referred to Committee)
The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. S. stands for Senate bill.
Library of Congress Summary
The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.
9/24/2008--Introduced.
Affordable Coverage for Small Employers Act of 2008 - Establishes the National Health Coverage Policy Board as an independent agency to oversee a program to provide health insurance coverage to small employers and their employees.
Directs the Policy Board to:
(1) determine a comprehensive, quality, and affordable standard benefit package similar to that provided under specified large federal employees health benefits (FEHB) plans;
(2) apportion the United States into regions with no less than two states each;
(3) establish a Regional Health Coverage Exchange for each region to serve as a central purchasing site for health coverage, to provide information about plans, to facilitate enrollment, and to ensure health plan compliance with requirements; and
(4) establish the Regional Health Coverage Exchange Board.
Requires the Regional Board to develop common rating guidelines relating to the health insurance market for small employers. Directs each state to enact laws necessary to regulate its small group insurance market in accordance with such guidelines. Authorizes states to permit sole proprietors and individuals to purchase coverage through the Exchange.
Sets forth requirements for a health insurance issuer to offer health care coverage through an Exchange.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a refundable tax credit for taxpayer premiums for qualified health insurance purchased through an Exchange; (2) allow a refundable tax credit for small employer contributions toward the cost of such employee health insurance; and (3) provide for advance payment of such tax credits.
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
The House Democratic Caucus does not provide summaries of bills.
So, yes, we display the House Republican Conference’s summaries when available even if we do not have a Democratic summary available. That’s because we feel it is better to give you as much information as possible, even if we cannot provide every viewpoint.
We’ll be looking for a source of summaries from the other side in the meanwhile.
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.)
- Title 5: GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES
- Part III: EMPLOYEES
- Subpart B: Employment and Retention
- Chapter 31: AUTHORITY FOR EMPLOYMENT
- Subchapter I: EMPLOYMENT AUTHORITIES
- Section 3109: Employment of experts and consultants; temporary or intermittent
- Subpart D: Pay and Allowances
- Chapter 53: PAY RATES AND SYSTEMS
- Subchapter II: EXECUTIVE SCHEDULE PAY RATES
- Section 5315: Positions at level IV
- Title 31: MONEY AND FINANCE
- Subtitle II: THE BUDGET PROCESS
- Chapter 13: APPROPRIATIONS
- Subchapter II: TRUST FUNDS AND REFUNDS
- Section 1324: Refund of internal revenue collections
- Title 42: THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
- Chapter 106: COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
- Section 9902: Definitions
Other Citations
- 5 U.S.C. Chapter 57
- 5 U.S.C. Chapter 89
- 10 U.S.C. Chapter 55
- 38 U.S.C. Chapter 17