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Health Insurance Reform Act of 1995

Introduced: July 13, 1995 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 104th Congress ended
It never became law before the 104th Congress (1995–1996) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 13 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 23, 1996
Senate passed companion measure H.R. 3103 in lieu of this measure by Yea-Nay Vote. 100-0. Record Vote No: 78.
Apr 19, 1996
Returned to the Calendar. Calendar No. 205. (consideration: CR S3742)
Apr 18, 1996
Senate incorporated this measure in H.R. 3103 as an amendment. (consideration: CR S3613)
Apr 18, 1996
The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Voice Vote.
Apr 18, 1996
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S3503-3575, S3578-3613)
Oct 12, 1995
Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Reported to Senate by Senator Kassebaum with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 104-156.
Oct 12, 1995
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 205.
Aug 2, 1995
Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jul 28, 1995
Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Hearings held.
Jul 18, 1995
Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Hearings held.
Jul 13, 1995
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
Jul 13, 1995
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9905)
Jul 13, 1995
Introduced in Senate
 Amendments to this bill 18

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

15 agreed to 3 pending / other

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
SAMDT 3,691 To direct the Health Care Financing Administration to determine reimbursement rates for telemedicine services. Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,690 To provide for a three-part study on the evaluation of access and choice of health care providers. Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,689 To prohibit the establishment of certain health plan requirements based on information relating to domestic v… Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,688 To encourage organ and tissue (including eye) donation through the inclusion of an organ and tissue donation … Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,687 To express the sense of the Senate regarding the need to ensure adequate health care coverage for all childre… Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,686 To express the sense of the Senate that Congress should examine treatments available to patients and if docto… Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,685 To encourage the provision of medical services in medically underserved communities by extending Federal liab… Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,684 To extend State requested waivers of the foreign country residence with respect to international medical grad… Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,683 To reduce health care fraud, waste, and abuse. Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,682 To reauthorize and expand the healthy start program to target areas in need and to implement community driven… Withdrawn Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,681 To ensure that parity is provided under health plans for severe mental illness services. Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,680 To reduce delinquencies and to improve debt-collection activities government-wide, and for other purposes. Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,679 To establish a minimum amount that may be applied as an aggregate lifetime limit with respect to coverage und… Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,678 To provide equitable relief for the generic drug industry. Withdrawn Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,677 To strike medical savings savings accounts. Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,676 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve health and long-term care coverage in the group and ind… Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,675 To provide for a substitute amendment. Agreed to Apr 18, 1996
SAMDT 3,673 Pending
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Health Care Access, Portability, and Renewability

Subtitle A: Group Health Plan Rules

Subtitle B: Individual Health Plan Rules

Subtitle C: COBRA Clarifications

Subtitle D: Private Health Plan Purchasing Coalitions

Title II: Application and Enforcement of Standards

Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions

Health Insurance Reform Act of 1995 - Title I: Health Care Access, Portability, and Renewability - Subtitle A: Group Health Plan Rules - Prohibits insurers from declining to provide coverage, and plans from establishing certain types of requirements, based on health status, medical condition, and similar factors.

(Sec. 102) Mandates plan renewability, except for nonpayment of premiums, termination of the plan, or other specified reasons.

(Sec. 103) Regulates the circumstances in which a plan may impose a benefit limitation or exclusion because of a preexisting condition. Allows State laws that limit preexisting conditions to shorter periods than the provisions of this paragraph.

(Sec. 104) Mandates special enrollment periods for individuals who have certain types of changes in family composition or employment status.

(Sec. 105) Regulates disclosures an insurer must make to a small employer (as defined in State law, or employers with not more than 50 employees if not defined in State law).

Subtitle B: Individual Health Plan Rules - Prohibits an insurer from establishing, for an individual in a period of previous qualifying coverage, eligibility, continuation, or enrollment requirements based on health status, medical condition, and similar factors.

(Sec. 111) Mandates renewability of coverage for individuals, except for nonpayment of premiums, misrepresentation of material fact, or termination of the plan.

(Sec. 112) Requires that State law in effect on, or enacted after, enactment of this Act apply in lieu of the standards above in this subtitle unless the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines that the State law is not as effective in providing access.

(Sec. 113) Mandates a study and report on ensuring the availability of health insurance to individuals, the need for Federal premium variation standards, and the effectiveness of this Act and State laws in stabilizing the small group health insurance market by providing for the broad pooling of risk.

Subtitle C: COBRA Clarifications - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to modify continuation coverage requirements.

Subtitle D: Private Health Plan Purchasing Coalitions - Requires a State to certify health plan purchasing coalitions (HPPCs) meeting the requirements of this paragraph. Provides for Federal certification if a State fails to do so. Regulates HPPC organization, duties, and activities. Preempts, for a HPPC meeting these requirements, State fictitious group laws, State rating requirement laws (subject to exception), and other State laws in direct conflict. Applies to HPPCs the requirements of ERISA provisions relating to fiduciary responsibility and administration and enforcement.

Title II: Application and Enforcement of Standards - Deems a requirement or standard under this Act imposed on: (1) a plan to be imposed on the insurer; and (2) a self-insured plan to be imposed on the plan sponsor.

(Sec. 202) Requires each State to mandate that each plan in the State meet the standards under this Act pursuant to an enforcement plan filed by the State with the Secretary of Labor.

Directs the Secretary, for self-insured health plans, to enforce the standards under this Act. Subjects failing plans to civil enforcement under specified ERISA provisions.

Provides for Federal enforcement if a State fails to do so.

Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow a health maintenance organization, if notified by a member that a medical savings account has been established for the member and if the member requests, to reduce the basic health services payment by requiring the payment of a deductible for basic health services.

Declares that it is the sense of the Senate that the Congress should take steps to further the purposes of this Act.

What's happening now April 23, 1996

Senate passed companion measure H.R. 3103 in lieu of this measure by Yea-Nay Vote. 100-0. Record Vote No: 78.

 Related & companion bills 4
 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1028: Health Insurance Reform Act of 1995. 104th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1028/
MLA
"S. 1028: Health Insurance Reform Act of 1995." 104th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1028/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1028, 104th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1028/.
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[S. 1028: Health Insurance Reform Act of 1995](https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1028/)
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