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S. 637 109th Congress Senate

Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2005

Official title: A bill to establish a national health program administered by the Office of Personnel Management to offer health benefits plans to individuals who are not Federal employees, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 16, 2005 Introduced by: Richard J. Durbin Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov
Health Administrative procedureCatastrophic health insuranceCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerce
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Competitive biddingCongressCongressional reporting requirementsCost accountingDiscrimination in insuranceDiscrimination in medical careEconomics and Public FinanceElectronic government informationEmployee health benefitsFederal employeesFederal preemptionFinance and Financial SectorGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment contractorsGovernment employees' health insuranceGovernment paperworkGovernment publicityHealth insuranceHealth insurance continuationIncome taxIndexing (Economic policy)Insurance premiumsInternetLabor and EmploymentLawLocal lawsMedical economicsMedically uninsuredMedicareNonprofit organizationsOffice of Personnel ManagementRebatesReinsuranceScience, Technology, CommunicationsSelf-employedSmall businessSocial WelfareState lawsSubsidiesTax creditsTax refundsTaxation
This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) 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 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 16, 2005
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mar 16, 2005
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action March 16, 2005

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2005 - Directs the Office of Personnel Management to administer a separate health insurance program for non-Federal employees who are either self-employed or employees of a small business with fewer than 100 employees.

Allows the Office to contract with carriers to provide health insurance under this Act. Requires rates charged to reasonably and equitably reflect the costs of the benefits provided. Requires a carrier to determine the amount of premiums to assess for coverage based on a community rate that may be annually adjusted based on geographic area, family status, and age.

Permits the Office to reimburse a carrier for costs that exceed premiums received by a specified percentage. Requires a carrier to make payments to a contingency reserve fund established by the Office if the carrier's costs are lower than expected by a specified percentage. Allows the Office to use such funds to provide assistance to carriers that experience unanticipated financial hardships.

Requires the Office to establish a reinsurance fund to provide payments to carriers that experience a catastrophic claim (a claim over $50,000) for benefits provided to an individual enrolled under this Act.

Allows a participating employer to offer supplemental coverage options to employees for excepted benefits that are not subject to the Public Health Service Act requirements for health plans.

Authorizes the Office to contract with entities to administer this health program regionally.

Allows certain benefits to be offered to Medicare beneficiaries.

Requires the Office to implement a public education campaign regarding this health insurance program.

Allows a refundable tax credit for health insurance expenses of small employers who pay a specific percentage of employee expenses under such a health plan.

 Related & companion bills 4
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 637: Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2005. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-637/
MLA
"S. 637: Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2005." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-637/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 637, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-637/.
Markdown link
[S. 637: Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2005](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-637/)
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