,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ajgf ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #ab1 #bjac ,mr4 ,hall 7for himself and ,mr4 ,thornberry7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act to provide for savings to the ,federal ,government by permitting pass-through funding for ,state authorized public entity health benefits pools4 #a4 ,savings from ,state authorized public entity health benefits pools ,the ,patient ,protection and ,affordable ,care ,act 7,public ,law #aaa-adh7 is amended by inserting after section #accb 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjeb7 the following new section 7and inserting a corresponding item in the table of contents of the ,act73 #accb;,a4 ,savings from ,state authorized public entity benefits pools 7a7 ,application 7#a7 ,in general ,a ,state authorized public entity health benefits pool 7in this section referred to as a pool7 may apply to the ,secretary for a pass through of funding described in subsection 7b7 with respect to health care benefits provided through that pool for coverage years beginning on or after ,january #a1 #bjad4 7#b7 ,approval of application ,the ,secretary shall approve such an application of a pool if the ,secretary determines that health care benefits provided through the pool-- 7,a7 will provide coverage that is at least as comprehensive as the coverage defined in section #acjb7;b72 7,b7 will provide coverage and cost sharing protections against excessive out-of-pocket spending that are at least as affordable as the provisions of this title would provide2 and 7,c7 will result in cost savings to the ,federal ,government because the cost of providing health care benefits to individuals through the pool will be less than the cost of providing health care benefits to such individuals had they become participants in a qualified health plan offered through an ,exchange1 and so the payment amount under subsection 7b7 will be less than the total of premium tax credits1 cost-sharing reductions1 or small business credits that would otherwise be required if individuals and small employers in the pool were instead participants in an ,exchange4 7#c7 ,consideration ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,secretary shall promulgate regulations relating to pass through of funding under this section4 ,the ,secretary shall begin accepting applications under this section no later than #ahj days after such date of enactment4 7#d7 ,additional consequences of approval ,an individual receiving health care benefits through such a pool for which such an application is approved under this section shall be treated1 for purposes of section #ejjj;,a of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf1 as being covered under minimum essential coverage described in subsection 7f77#a77;,e7 of such section4 7b7 ,pass through of funding 7#a7 ,in general ,with respect to a pool application under subsection 7a77#a71 under which individuals and small employers in the pool would not qualify for the premium tax credits1 cost-sharing reductions1 or small business credits under sections #cf;,b or #de,r of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf for which they would otherwise be eligible if they had entered an ,exchange1 the ,secretary shall provide for an alternative means by which an aggregate amount determined under paragraph 7#b7 shall be paid to the pool for purposes of implementing the application4 7#b7 ,payment determination ,the amount to be paid under paragraph 7#a7 shall be determined-- 7,a7 based on the sum of premium tax credits1 cost-sharing reductions1 and small business credits under sections #cf;,b or #de,r of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf that would have been provided with respect to individuals in the pool had the health care benefits provided by the pool been a qualified health plan offered in an ,exchange1 but taking into account the lower cost of providing health care benefits to individuals through the pool2 and 7,b7 annually by the ,secretary1 taking into consideration the experience of individuals and small employers participating in ,exchanges4 7c7 ,timely determination by secretary ,the ,secretary shall make a determination under subsection 7a77#a7 with respect to the application of a pool not later than #ahj days after the date of receipt of such application1 and shall notify the pool involved of such determination4 7d7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term public entity means a county1 municipality1 special district1 school district1 junior college district1 housing authority1 or other political subdivision or public entity defined under ,state law4 7#b7 ,the term ,state authorized public entity health benefits pool means a risk pool authorized or permitted by ,state statute or otherwise regulated by a ,state agency under which-- 7,a7 a public entity or group of public entities1 directly or through a pool1 provide health care benefits primarily for public entity officials1 employees1 and retirees and their dependents2 and officials1 employees1 and retirees and dependents of affiliated service contractors of such public entities2 and 7,b7 such pool may provide health care benefits from the assets of the pool or its member public entities through any combination of self-funded arrangements or fully insured products4 7#c7 ,the term affiliated service contractor means an organization that provides governmental or quasi-governmental services on behalf of a public entity when such contractor is eligible to obtain health care benefits through a state authorized public entity health benefits pool for its officials1 employees1 retirees and their dependents4 4