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H.R. 5568 106th Congress House

Patients' Declaration of Independence Act of 2000

Official title: To encourage employer selection of freedom-of-choice health coverage.

Introduced: October 26, 2000 See on congress.gov
Health Employee health benefitsFinance and Financial SectorHealth insuranceLabor and Employment
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This bill died when the 106th Congress ended
It never became law before the 106th Congress (1999–2000) 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 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 1, 2000
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Oct 26, 2000
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
Oct 26, 2000
Introduced in House
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 Latest action November 1, 2000

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Patients' Declaration of Independence Act of 2000 - Provides, in the case of a group health plan that is a freedom-of-choice plan with respect to a participant or beneficiary, that: (1) an employer maintaining the plan shall not be liable pursuant to any cause of action relating to the provision of (or failure to provide, or manner of provision of) benefits under any health insurance coverage that may be secured by such participant or beneficiary in connection with the plan; and (2) there shall be no right of recovery, indemnity, or contribution by a person against such an employer (or an employee of such an employer acting within the scope of employment) for damages assessed against the person pursuant to any such cause of action.

Provides that, for certain purposes under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), any such employer (and any such employee) shall not be considered a fiduciary of the plan.

Defines a freedom-of-choice group health plan as one which: (1) provides benefits on behalf of the participant or beneficiary only in the form of a contribution towards the cost of health insurance coverage that meets the applicable requirements of law; (2) does not impose any restriction with respect to such coverage, including the benefits available under such coverage, the health insurance issuer that offers such coverage, and the selection of such coverage; and (3) provides that the participant (and not the employer or plan) is the owner of the health insurance coverage.

Requires such a contribution to be treated as employer-provided coverage under a health plan, for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code.

 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. 5568: Patients' Declaration of Independence Act of 2000. 106th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-5568/
MLA
"H.R. 5568: Patients' Declaration of Independence Act of 2000." 106th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-5568/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 5568, 106th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-5568/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 5568: Patients' Declaration of Independence Act of 2000](https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-5568/)
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