Index for HR3962: Affordable Health Care for America Act

To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes.

Mr. Dingell (for himself, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Waxman, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Stark, Mr. Pallone, and Mr. Andrews) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

(a) In general.—Subject to this section—

(1) nothing in this division (or an amendment made by this division) shall be construed to modify or limit the application of the exemption for the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act (Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 393–1 et seq.) as provided for under section 514(b)(5) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1144(b)(5)), and such exemption shall also apply with respect to the provisions of this division; and

(2) for purposes of this division (and the amendments made by this division), coverage provided pursuant to the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act shall be treated as a qualified health benefits plan providing acceptable coverage so long as the Secretary of Labor determines that such coverage for employees (taking into account the benefits and the cost to employees for such benefits) is substantially equivalent to or greater than the coverage provided for employees pursuant to the essential benefits package.

(b) Coordination with State law of Hawaii.—The Commissioner shall, based on ongoing consultation with the appropriate officials of the State of Hawaii, make adjustments to rules and regulations of the Commissioner under this division as may be necessary, as determined by the Commissioner, to most effectively coordinate the provisions of this division with the provisions of the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act, taking into account any changes made from time to time to the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act and related laws of such State.