Library / Laws / 113th / s / S. 764 / Introduced in Senate
II
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 764
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 18, 2013
Mr. Cornyn introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions
A BILL
To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to
require the disclosure of information regarding how certain taxes and fees
impact the amount of premiums, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Patients' Right to Know Act of
2013.
2.
Disclosure of
health insurance information to consumers
(a)
In
general
Section 2715 of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–15) is amended by adding at the end
the following new subsection:
(h)
Disclosure of
health insurance information to consumers
(1)
In
general
A health insurance issuer or sponsor of a group health
plan, through its annual summary of benefits and coverage explanation provided
under subsection (d), through an Internet website, or through some other
written means of communication with the consumer such as a printed
mailing—
(A) shall include the disclosure (effective for
plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, and in addition to the
information required to be disclosed under this section) of—
(i) the applicable
additional information relating to fees described in paragraph (2); and
(ii) the applicable
additional information included under paragraph (3)(D); and
(B) shall not be subject to any administrative
action by the Secretary or by a State authority with respect to any disclosure
made on or after the date of the enactment of this subsection of such
applicable additional information if the disclosure is made based upon a good
faith estimates of such information and is in accordance with such standards as
the Secretary may establish to carry out this subsection.
(2)
Fee
information
The additional information described in this
paragraph, with respect to a health insurance issuer issuing health insurance
coverage in the individual, small, or large group market and with respect to
the sponsor of a group health plan, is as follows:
(A)
Fee on health
insurance providers
The
annual fee on health insurance providers under section 9010 of the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (26 U.S.C. 4001 note).
(B)
PCORI
Tax
Fees imposed under subchapter B of chapter 34 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to funding the Patient-Centered Outcome Research
Institute).
(C)
Reinsurance
contributions
Reinsurance
contributions required under section 1341(b) of the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18061(b)).
(D)
Proposed health
insurance exchange user fee
Fees imposed on health plans relating
to participation in an Exchange under subtitle D of title I of the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18021 et seq.).
(E)
Risk corridor
payments
Risk corridor
payments required under section 1342(b)(2) of the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18062(b)(2)).
(F)
Risk adjustment
charges
Risk adjustment
charges imposed under section 1343(a)(1) of the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18063(a)(1)).
In the
case of health insurance coverage, such costs may be calculated separately for
such coverage in the individual market, in the small group market, and in the
large group market for the health insurance issuer involved.
(3)
Other
information
(A)
Study
The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct a study of methods of calculating the impact on average
premium costs associated with each of the following:
(i)
Market impact of
guaranteed issue and community rating
The requirement for
guaranteed issuance of coverage under section 2702 and community rated premiums
under section 2701.
(ii)
Age rating
impact
The requirement of section 2701(a)(1)(A)(iii) (relating to
limitations on age rating).
(iii)
Preventive
services
The requirement for coverage of preventive services
under section 2713.
(iv)
Minimum
essential health benefits coverage
The requirement that coverage
provide for at least 60 percent of the actuarial value of essential health
benefits under section 1302(d) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act (42 U.S.C. 18022(d)).
(B)
Consultation
In
conducting such study, the Comptroller General shall consult with health
insurance issuers and State health insurance commissioners.
(C)
Report
Not later than October 1, 2014, the
Comptroller General shall submit to each House of Congress and the Secretary a
report on the study conducted under subparagraph (A).
(D)
Inclusion of
additional information
After submission of such report, the
Secretary may also include in the information required to be disclosed under
paragraph (1)(A)(ii) information on the impact on premiums of each of the
requirements described in subparagraph (A).
(4)
Retention of
State rate setting authority
Nothing in this subsection shall be
construed to preempt State authority to regulate, reject, alter, or require
additional information in support of rates for health insurance coverage or
oversight authority of the Secretary.
(5)
Disclosure to
the general public
The
Secretary shall make the information provided by a health insurance issuer or
sponsor of a group health plan as specified in paragraph (2) and additional
information included under paragraph (3)(D) available to the general public
through an Internet website. In addition, such website shall include
information provided in the report submitted under paragraph
(3)(A).
.