Bill Summary
This legislation, known as the "Marketing and Outreach Restoration to Empower Health Education Act of 2019" or "MORE Health Education Act," aims to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by providing for federal exchange outreach and educational activities. This would require the Secretary to carry out outreach and educational activities to inform potential enrollees of qualified health plans offered through the Exchange, while ensuring that the information is culturally and linguistically appropriate for the targeted populations. Additionally, it prohibits the use of funds for promoting health insurance coverage that does not meet Federal patient protection standards, such as association health plans and short-term, limited-duration insurance plans. A budgetary effects statement must be submitted prior to the vote on passage to comply with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010. This legislation also appropriates $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 and subsequent years to carry out these activities.
Possible Impacts
1. Increased access to information about health insurance coverage: This legislation requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out outreach and educational activities to inform potential enrollees about the availability of health insurance plans and financial assistance. This can benefit people by providing them with more information and resources to help them make informed decisions about their healthcare.
2. Protection for vulnerable populations: The legislation specifically mentions hard-to-reach populations, such as racial and sexual minorities, limited English proficient populations, and young adults. By providing culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach and education, this legislation aims to ensure that these populations are not left behind or disadvantaged in accessing healthcare.
3. Limitation on use of funds for non-compliant health insurance: The legislation also includes a limitation on the use of funds for promoting health insurance coverage that does not meet Federal patient protection standards. This means that the $100 million allocated for outreach and educational activities cannot be used to promote health insurance plans that do not provide adequate coverage or protections for consumers. This is meant to protect people from potentially harmful or deceptive insurance plans.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 455 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 455
To amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for
Federal Exchange outreach and educational activities.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 12, 2019
Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Peters, and Mr. Kaine) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for
Federal Exchange outreach and educational activities.
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 ``Marketing and Outreach Restoration
to Empower Health Education Act of 2019'' or the ``MORE Health
Education Act''.
SEC. 2. FEDERAL EXCHANGE OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
Section 1321(c) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
(42 U.S.C. 18041(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(3) Outreach and educational activities.--
``(A) In general.--In the case of an Exchange
established or operated by the Secretary within a State
pursuant to this subsection, the Secretary shall carry
out outreach and educational activities for purposes of
informing potential enrollees in qualified health plans
offered through the Exchange of the availability of
coverage under such plans and financial assistance for
coverage under such plans. Such outreach and
educational activities shall be provided in a manner
that is culturally and linguistically appropriate to
the needs of the populations being served by the
Exchange (including hard-to-reach populations, such as
racial and sexual minorities, limited English
proficient populations, and young adults).
``(B) Limitation on use of funds.--No funds
appropriated under this paragraph may be used for
expenditures for promoting health insurance coverage
that does not meet Federal patient protection
standards, as defined in subparagraph (C).
``(C) Federal patient protection standards.--For
purposes of subparagraph (B), `health insurance
coverage that does not meet Federal patient protection
standards' means any health insurance coverage that is
not a qualified health plan, as defined in section
1301. Such coverage that does not meet Federal patient
protection standards includes association health plans
and short-term, limited-duration insurance plans.
``(D) Funding.--Out of any funds in the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated, there are hereby
appropriated for fiscal year 2020 and each subsequent
fiscal year, $100,000,000 to carry out this paragraph.
Funds appropriated under this subparagraph shall remain
available until expended.''.
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying
with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, provided that
such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
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