Bill Summary
This bill, known as the "Repeal Insurance Plans of the Multi-State Program Act" or the "RIP MSP Act", aims to repeal the multi-State plan program established by section 1334 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This program allows for health insurance issuers or groups to offer multi-State health insurance plans through a contract with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The bill would terminate this program on January 1, 2020 and require the OPM to provide a briefing on their efforts to wind down the program. It also includes amendments to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to remove references to multi-State plans. This bill was introduced in the 116th Congress and was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Possible Impacts
1. Limited health insurance options: The repeal of the multi-State plan program could limit the health insurance options available to individuals, especially those who live in states with limited insurance providers. This could make it difficult for people to find affordable and comprehensive coverage that meets their needs.
2. Loss of external review: The legislation would terminate external review for individuals enrolled in a multi-State plan during or before the 2019 plan year. This could affect people who are dissatisfied with their plan or have a dispute with their insurance provider, as they would no longer have the option to seek an external review of their case.
3. Changes in communication and technology: The legislation requires the Director of OPM to provide a briefing on how the multi-State program will be winded down, including details on how communication with current enrollees will be handled and how the information technology portal utilized by MSP issuers will be closed down. These changes could affect how individuals access and receive information about their health insurance, which could cause confusion and disruptions in coverage.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1378 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 190
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1378
[Report No. 116-86]
To repeal the multi-State plan program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 8, 2019
Mr. Johnson (for himself, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Braun, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Lee,
Mr. Alexander, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Cramer, and Mr. Paul) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
September 10, 2019
Reported by Mr. Johnson, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
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,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Repeal Insurance Plans of
the Multi-State Program Act of 2019'' or the ``RIP MSP Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. REPEAL OF MULTI-STATE PLAN PROGRAM.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Required Reporting.--Not later than 60 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Personnel
Management shall provide the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and
Reform of the House of Representatives a briefing concerning the
efforts of the Office of Personnel Management (referred to in this
section as ``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--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) a timeline detailing how OPM will close down
the information technology portal that MSP issuers
utilize.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Rescission of Unused Funds.--Of the amounts made
available to OPM for the purposes of staffing and administering the
program under section 1334 of the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act, the unobligated balance is rescinded, effective January 1,
2020.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (e) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the Director of the Office of Personnel
Management should assign employees of the Office whose duties
on the date of enactment relate to carrying out section 1334 of
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-
148) to duties relating to processing appeals brought by
individuals or employers pursuant to such section 1334;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) no additional amounts should be appropriated
for salaries and expenses relating to processing such
appeals.</DELETED>
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
the 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 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.
Calendar No. 190
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1378
[Report No. 116-86]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To repeal the multi-State plan program.
_______________________________________________________________________
September 10, 2019
Reported with an amendment