Bill Summary
This bill proposes to repeal the multi-State plan program, which is a provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare). This program allows for health insurance issuers to offer plans in multiple states through a contract with the Office of Personnel Management. The bill states that this program will no longer have any effect starting January 1, 2020. It also requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to provide a briefing on the efforts to wind down the program and details regarding the closure of the information technology portal used by the issuers. The bill also includes amendments to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to remove mentions of the multi-State plan program.
Possible Impacts
1. Loss of insurance options: The repeal of the Multi-State Plan Program may limit the insurance options available to individuals, particularly those who rely on multi-state plans for coverage. This could lead to higher premiums or inadequate coverage for people who may have relied on these plans for comprehensive healthcare.
2. Disruption of healthcare for current enrollees: The termination of external review and the winding down of the program could disrupt healthcare for current enrollees who rely on multi-state plans. They may have to switch to a new plan, potentially leading to changes in doctors, prescription coverage, and other aspects of their healthcare.
3. Impact on government workers: The repeal of the Multi-State Plan Program could also affect government workers who are covered under these plans. They may have to go through a new enrollment process and potentially face changes in their coverage, which could be a burden for those who are already dealing with job demands and other stresses.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2524 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2524
To repeal the multi-State plan program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 3, 2019
Mr. Meadows introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To repeal the multi-State plan program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Repeal Insurance Plans of the Multi-
State Program Act'' or the ``RIP MSP Act''.
SEC. 2. REPEAL OF MULTI-STATE PLAN PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``multi-State plan
issuer'' and ``MSP issuer'' mean a health insurance issuer or group of
health insurance issuers that has a contract with the Office of
Personnel Management to offer multi-State plan options pursuant to
section 1334 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public
Law 111-148).
(b) Program Repeal.--Effective January 1, 2020, section 1334 of the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148) shall
have no force or effect.
(c) Termination of External Review.--The administration of external
review pursuant to section 1334 of the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act shall conclude upon the issuance by the Director of
Office of Personnel Management (referred to in this section as ``OPM'')
of all final decisions for enrollees enrolled in a multi-State plan
during or before the 2019 plan year.
(d) Required Reporting.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director of OPM shall provide the Committee
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee
on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Energy and
Commerce of the House of Representatives a briefing concerning the
efforts of the OPM to wind down the multi-State program under section
1334 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Such briefing
shall contain such information as may be required, including
information regarding--
(1) the methods of communication OPM and an MSP issuer will
use to notify current enrollees that the multi-State plan will
not be offered during the next open season, including a
timeline of the planned communications;
(2) a description of how the Director of OPM will work with
the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure that no
plans previously offered pursuant to such section 1334 are
offered on State or Federal Exchanges; and
(3) a timeline detailing how OPM will close down the
information technology portal that MSP issuers utilize.
(e) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) In general.--Title I of the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act is amended--
(A) in section 1301(a) (42 U.S.C. 18021(a))--
(i) in paragraph (2)--
(I) in the heading, by striking
``and multi-state qualified health
plans''; and
(II) by striking ``and a multi-
State plan under section 1334,''; and
(ii) in paragraph (4), by striking ``,
including a multi-State qualified health
plan,''; and
(B) in section 1324(a) (42 U.S.C. 18044(a)), by
striking ``, or a multi-State qualified health plan
under section 1334,''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1)
shall take effect on January 1, 2020.
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