The 114th Congress has convened with a wave of bills seeking to repeal or limit ObamaCare. AAPS Director Marilyn Singleton, MD, JD summarizes the health policy related legislation introduced in Congress’ first week back at work in 2015:
Two Bills Reducing the Bite of the ACA Pass the House
On January 8, 2015, H.R. 30, the Save American Workers Act of 2015 passed the House by a 252-172 weakly bipartisan vote and now goes to the Senate. H.R. 30 introduced by Rep. Todd Young (R-IN) would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 30-hour threshold for classification as a full-time employee for purposes of the employer mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and replace it with 40 hours.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr30/text.
On January 12, 2015, the House passed H.R. 33, the Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act, passed the House by a 232-169 bipartisan vote. H.R. 33 introduced by Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA) would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure that emergency services volunteers are not taken into account as employees under the shared responsibility requirements (employer mandate) contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This bill assists many communities around the country that rely on volunteer firefighters and other emergency personnel.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr33/text.
Several Bills Introduced in House and Senate to Repeal or Defang the ACA
The best part about these bills is that they are very short and to the point with no “add-ons.”
On January 8, 2015, S. 141, the Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act of 2015 was introduced by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and referred to the Senate Finance Committee. The bill was the reintroduction of a 2013 bill to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).
Text of previous version of bill:
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s1316/text
On Jan 6, 2015, H.R. 117, the Reclaiming Individual Liberty Act was introduced by Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) and referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the mandate that individuals purchase health insurance.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr117/text.
On Jan 6, 2015, S. 12, the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 was introduced by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and referred to the Senate Finance Committee. The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt Employees with health coverage under TRICARE or the Veterans Administration not taken into account in determining employers to which the employer mandate applies under Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s12/text.
On January 8, 2015, H.R. 210, the Student Worker Exemption Act of 2015 was introduced by Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt student workers for purposes of determining a higher education institution’s employer health care shared responsibility (employer mandate).
Full text at: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr210/text.
On Jan 6, 2015, S. 30, the Forty Hours Is Full Time Act of 2015 was introduced by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and referred to the Senate Finance Committee. This bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the definition of full-time employee for purposes of the employer mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to a 40-hour work week.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s30/text.
On Jan 7, 2015, S. 38, a bill to ensure that long-term unemployed individuals are not taken into account for purposes of the employer health coverage mandate was introduced by Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
No text available. Law can be followed at: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s38.
Jan 6, 2015, H.R. 132, the ObamaCare Repeal Act was introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and the Workforce, the Judiciary, Natural Resources, House Administration, Rules, and Appropriations. This 2-sentence bill would repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr132/text.
On January 7, 2015, S. 77, a bill to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was introduced by David Vitter (R-LA) and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
No text available. Bill may be followed at: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s77.
On Jan 6, 2015, H.R. 138, Access to Insurance for All Americans Act was introduced by Rep. Darell Issa (R-CA) and referred to Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committees on Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Education and the Workforce, Natural Resources, the Judiciary, Rules, and Appropriations. The bill would repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 and to amend title 5, United States Code, to establish a national health program administered by the Office of Personnel Management to offer Federal employee health benefits plans to individuals who are not Federal employees.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr138/text.
On January 6, 2015, S. 16, the No Exemption for Washington from Obamacare Act was introduced by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and referred to the Senate Finance Committee. This 2-page bill would amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to apply the provisions of the Act to certain Congressional staff and members of the executive branch.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s16/text.
On January 6, 2015, H.R. 160, the Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015 was introduced by Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) with over 250 co-sponsors, and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the excise tax on medical devices. The bill will not only lower future tax bills for medical device companies, it retroactively eliminates the tax which would mean a refund for companies that have already paid it.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr160/text
On January 12, 2015, a companion bill to H.R. 160, S. 149, Medical Device Access and Innovation Protection Act was introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and a bipartisan group of ten Senators, including Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Richard Burr (R-NC), Al Franken (D-MN), Rob Portman (R-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Dan Coats (R-IN), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). The bill would a bill to repeal the medical device tax that was implemented as a part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Text not yet available.
On January 7, 2015, S. 118, a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to address certain inconsistencies between the self-attested information provided by an applicant in enrolling a health plan on an Exchange and being determined eligible for premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions or in being determined to be eligible for enrollment in a State Medicaid plan or a State child health plan under the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and the data received through the Federal Data Services Hub or from other data was introduced by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
No text available. Bill may be followed at: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s118.
On January 8, 2015, S. 121, a bill to establish a certification process for opting out of the individual health insurance mandate was introduced by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
The bill text has not yet been received from GPO. Bill may be followed at: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s121.
On January 8, 2015, S. 123, a bill to prevent a taxpayer bailout of health insurance issuers was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
The bill text has not yet been received from GPO. Bill may be followed at: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s123.
Medicare-Related Bills Introduced
And why are we celebrating?? On January 8, 2015, S.Res 25, a resolution commemorating 50 years since the creation of the Medicare and Medicaid Programs was introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR).
Full text at: http://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Medicare%20Medicaid%2050%20year%20resolution.pdf.
On January 8, 2015, S. 141, the Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act of 2015 was introduced by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and referred to the Senate Finance Committee. The bill was the reintroduction of a 2013 bill to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).
Text of previous version of bill: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s1316/text
On Jan 6, 2015, S. 31, the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2015 was introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and referred to the Senate Finance Committee. The bill would amend part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate covered part D drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s31/text.
On January 6, 2015, H.R. 111, a bill to protect the Social Security and Medicare trust funds from the public debt limit was introduced by Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr111/text.
On January 6, 2015, H.R. 169, the Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2015 was introduced by Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. This 1-page bill would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Full text: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr169/text.
Miscellaneous
On January 8, 2015, S. 139, the Ensuring Access to Clinical Trials Act of 2015 was introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance. The bill would permanently allow an exclusion under the Supplemental Security Income program and the Medicaid program for compensation provided to individuals who participate in clinical trials for rare diseases or conditions. This exclusion was instituted in a 2010 bill which sunsets this year.
The bill text has not yet been received from GPO. Bill may be followed at: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s139.
On January 8, 2015, H.R. 209, the Ensuring Access to Clinical Trials Act of 2015 was introduced by Rep. Lloyd Doggett and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and House Committee on Ways and Means. Just as the companion bill in the Senate, this bill permanently allow an exclusion under the Supplemental Security Income program and the Medicaid program for compensation provided to individuals who participate in clinical trials for rare diseases or conditions.
Full text at: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr209/text.
On January 6, 2015, H.R. 27, the Tax Code Termination Act was introduced by John Goodlatte (R-VA) and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules. The bill would terminate taxes imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 effective as of January 2020. The new federal tax system “should be a simple and fair system that:
(1) applies a low rate to all Americans;
(2) provides tax relief for working Americans;
(3) protects the rights of taxpayers and reduces tax collection abuses;
(4) eliminates the bias against savings and investment;
(5) promotes economic growth and job creation; and
(6) does not penalize marriage or families.”
Full text at: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr27/text
