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Empowering Patients First Act of 2015

Introduced: June 4, 2015 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) 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 7 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 16, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
Jun 4, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
Jun 1, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Jun 1, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
May 15, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
May 13, 2015
Introduced in House
May 13, 2015
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and the Workforce, the Judiciary, Natural Resources, House Administration, Rules, Appropriations, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Empowering Patients First Act of 2015

This bill repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of their enactment. This bill replaces those provisions with amendments to the Internal Revenue Code, the Public Health Service Act, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to address health care coverage.

The bill provides for refundable tax credits for health insurance coverage and health savings account (HSA) contributions.

The bill raises the annual HSA contribution limit, expands eligibility for tax-deductible HSA contributions, and allows HSAs to be used to pay periodic or capitated primary care fees.

A limit is placed on the amount of an employer's contribution to health coverage that can be excluded from the employee's taxable income.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must provide a grant to each state for high-risk pools or reinsurance pools to subsidize health insurance for high-risk populations and individuals.

Funds authorized, tax credits, and tax deductions under this Act may not be used to pay for an abortion or health coverage that includes abortion, with exceptions.

This bill provides for the establishment and governance of independent health pools, entities that form risk pools to offer health insurance coverage to their members.

Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2015

This bill provides for the establishment and governance of association health plans, which are group health plans sponsored by business associations that meet certain ERISA certification requirements.

Health insurers offering individual coverage may deny coverage to an individual, outside of open enrollment periods. Preexisting conditions may be excluded from coverage under certain conditions.

Individual health insurance coverage is governed by the laws of a state designated by the health insurance issuer.

HHS must issue clinical practice guidelines. The bill specifies how these guidelines may be used in a health care lawsuit.

HHS may not use comparative effectiveness research or patient-centered outcomes research to deny coverage of an item or service under a federal health care program.

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permit Medicare beneficiaries to contract with a physician or practitioner for covered health care and submit a claim for payment under Medicare.

Health care professionals are exempted from federal and state antitrust laws in connection with negotiations with a health plan to provide health care items or services.

What's happening now November 16, 2015

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

 Related & companion bills 10
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 14
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2300: Empowering Patients First Act of 2015. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2300/
MLA
"H.R. 2300: Empowering Patients First Act of 2015." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2300/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2300, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2300/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2300: Empowering Patients First Act of 2015](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2300/)
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