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H.R. 4600 105th Congress House

Common Sense Smoking Prevention Act of 1998

Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to allow group and individual health insurance coverage and grou… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to allow group and individual health insurance coverage and group health plans to charge higher premiums to smokers.

Introduced: September 18, 1998 See on congress.gov
Health CommerceDrug abuseEmployee health benefitsFinance and Financial Sector
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Health insuranceHealth insurance industryInsurance premiumsInsurance ratesLabor and EmploymentMedical economicsMedical testsSmoking
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This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) 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 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 30, 1998
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Sep 18, 1998
Referred to House Commerce
Sep 18, 1998
Referred to House Education and the Workforce
Sep 18, 1998
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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.
Sep 18, 1998
Introduced in House
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 Latest action September 30, 1998

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Common Sense Smoking Prevention Act of 1998 - Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to mandate that group and individual health insurance policies and group health plans charge higher premiums for smokers and deny medical care benefits coverage for beneficiaries who refuse testing to determine whether or not they smoke.

Prescribes certain notice requirements under PHSA and ERISA with respect to such requirements.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4600: Common Sense Smoking Prevention Act of 1998. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4600/
MLA
"H.R. 4600: Common Sense Smoking Prevention Act of 1998." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4600/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4600, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4600/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4600: Common Sense Smoking Prevention Act of 1998](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-4600/)
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