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S 1204 113th Congress Senate Health Abortion Civil actions and liability Comprehensive health care Employee benefits and pensions Health care costs and insurance Health care coverage and access Health personnel Health programs administration and funding Legal fees and court costs Medical education Religion Sales and excise taxes

Health Care Conscience Rights Act

Introduced: June 27, 2013 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) 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
Jun 20, 2013
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Jun 20, 2013
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Health Care Conscience Rights Act - Amends title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to declare that nothing in such title shall require an individual to purchase individual health insurance coverage that includes coverage of an abortion or other item or service to which the individual has a moral or religious objection, or prevent an issuer from offering or issuing, to that individual, individual coverage excluding such item or service.

Makes similar denials about requiring a sponsor to sponsor, purchase, or provide such coverage, or a health insurance issuer or group health plan sponsor to cover an abortion or other item or service to which the sponsor or issuer has a moral or religious objection.

Denies also that such title authorizes imposition of a tax, penalty, fee, fine, or other sanction, or imposition of coverage of such an item or service, in relation to health insurance coverage or a group health plan that excludes such an item or service.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to codify the prohibition against any action by the federal government and any state or local government receiving federal financial assistance to subject a health professional, a hospital, a provider-sponsored organization, a health maintenance organization, an accountable care organization, a health insurance plan, or any other kind of health care facility, organization, or plan to discrimination on the basis that the entity refuses to participate in abortion-related activities.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to designate the Director of the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to receive and investigate complaints alleging a violation of abortion discrimination prohibition.

Creates a cause of action for the Attorney General or any person or entity adversely affected to obtain equitable or legal relief for any violation of this abortion discrimination prohibition. Allows commencement of an action to be commenced and the granting of relief without a prerequisite pursuit of administrative remedies. Allows such an action against a federal or state governmental entity.

What's happening now June 20, 2013

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1204: Health Care Conscience Rights Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-1204/
MLA
"S. 1204: Health Care Conscience Rights Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-1204/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1204, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-1204/.
Markdown link
[S. 1204: Health Care Conscience Rights Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-1204/)
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