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Common Sense Patients' Bill of Rights Act

Introduced: November 3, 2000 See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 8, 2000
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Nov 3, 2000
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Nov 3, 2000
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and 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.
Nov 3, 2000
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Common Sense Patients' Bill of Rights Act - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), and the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to: (1) provide for a patients' bill of rights, patient access to information, and accountability of health plans; and (2) expand access to health care coverage through tax incentives.

Title I: Patients' Bill Of Rights - Subtitle A: Right Advice and Care - Establishes patients' rights to medical advice and care (under ERISA, PHSA, and IRC).

Subtitle B: Right to Information About Plans And Providers - Establishes patients' rights to information about plans and providers.

Subtitle C: Right To Hold Health Plans Accountable - Establishes patients' rights to hold health plans accountable.

Subtitle D: State Flexibility in Applying Requirements to Health Insurance Issuers - Provides for State flexibility in applying requirements to health insurance issuers.

Subtitle E: Effective Dates; Coordination in Implementation; Miscellaneous Provisions - Provides for coordination in implementation.

Title II: Remedies - Amends ERISA to provide for: (1) availability of, and limitations on, court remedies relating to medically reviewable determinations and timely review of claims; and (2) expanded court remedies relating to group health plan determinations that are not medically reviewable.

Title III: Health Care Coverage Access Tax Incentives - Amends the IRC with respect to medical savings accounts (MSAs) to: (1) repeal certain limitations on availability; (2) expand availability beyond employees of small employers and self-employed individuals; (3) increase the amount of allowable tax deduction for contributors; (4) allow both employers and employees to contribute; (5) reduce permitted deductibles under high-deductible heath plans, but provide for cost-of-living adjustments; (6) allow MSAs to be offered under cafeteria plans; and (7) direct the Comptroller General to study and report on the impact of MSAs on the cost of conventional insurance.

Allows a tax deduction for 100 percent of the health insurance costs of self-employed individuals.

Title IV: Health Care Paperwork - Establishes the Health Care Panel to Devise a Uniform Explanation of Benefits to devise a single form for use by third-party health care payers for remittance of claims to providers.

What's happening now November 8, 2000

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1