H.R. 759: Improved Equitable Healthcare Act

#Improved Equitable Healthcare Act

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WHEREAS the Equitable Healthcare Act provided health insurance to millions of Americans while simultaneously reducing the deficit,

WHEREAS alterations to that act are necessary to further guarantee high-quality insurance and allow for greater choice,

WHEREAS an addition to the Equitable Healthcare Act can stimulate market competition, bring down prescription drug prices, and provide more secure insurance options,

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress Assembled,

SECTION I: Short Title

This act may be cited as the “Improved Equitable Healthcare Act.”

SECTION II: Definitions

Health Savings Accounts shall refer to tax free savings accounts usable only for the purposes of purchasing health insurance and offsetting healthcare costs.

Federal Poverty Line shall refer to a measure issued each year by the Department of Health and Human Services to reflect purchasing power, and to determine eligibility for Medicaid.

SECTION III: Secure Health Vouchers

Section VII Subsection (a) of the Equitable Healthcare Act shall hereby by repealed.

There shall be levied upon all citizens a “Secure Healthcare Fee” of 5% of household income from all sources exceeding 138% of the federal poverty line and 10% of income from all sources exceeding $110,000.

Each citizen shall be granted a Secure Health Voucher, equal to the cost of purchasing the second lowest-cost Medicare Part E standard plan, as established under Subsection (d).

The Health Review Board Established under Section VIII of the Equitable Healthcare Act shall be responsible for the administration of Secure Health Vouchers, and the determination of the projected cost per individual of purchasing Medicare Part E.

Secure Health Vouchers shall be placed in individual Health Savings Accounts under the provisions of Section IV.

Secure Health Vouchers may be used to purchase public or private insurance, as well as public Standard Plans established under Subsection (d).

Medicare Part E shall henceforth offer a series of “standard plans” alongside traditionally-structured insurance plans, which shall be free at the point of service, and shall therefore charge no deductibles, co-insurances, or co-pays.

Individuals choosing a Medicare Part E Standard Plan may have all premium fees automatically deducted monthly from awarded Secure Health Vouchers.

SECTION IV: Expanding Health Savings Accounts

Section 223(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ‘‘the sum 4 of the monthly’’ and all that follows through ‘‘eligible individual’’ and inserting ‘‘$9,000 ($18,000 in the case of a joint return)’’.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds placed within Health Savings Accounts may be withdrawn and spent on health insurance premiums offered by private or public entities without being subject to taxation.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, Health Savings Accounts’ funds may be withdrawn and used to pay for direct primary care without being subject to taxation.

SECTION V: Collective Bargaining

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services shall negotiate with all insurance providers operating on the National Health Service for maximum consumer costs of individual plans. All insurers operating on the National Health Service are hereby mandated to have each offered plan reviewed annually by CMS, and shall submit to that agency requests for maximum prices, justifying the reasons for doing so, based upon the interests of maintaining business and consumer care.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services is hereby authorized to set maximum prices per plan based on consumer reports and the review process established in Subsection (a).

Section V Subsection (b) of the Equitable Healthcare Act shall hereby be repealed.

SECTION VI: Additional Provisions

No restriction shall be placed, save regulations implemented by the Food and Drug Administration, upon the importation of prescription medicines located in the Dominion of Canada.

Section VII, Subsection (c) of the Equitable Healthcare Act shall be amended to substitute “eighteen percent (18%)” for “thirty percent (30%).”

Medicare Part E is hereby directed to submit a quarterly report of all earnings, spending, savings, and the general direction of capital to the congress for review.

SECTION VII: Enactment

The provisions of this act are severable. If any part of this act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, that declaration shall have no effect on the parts which remain.

This act shall take effect one year (365 days) after its passage into law.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall be responsible for the necessary regulations to make effective the provisions of this act.

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This Act was Written by u/Autarch_Severian, Sponsored by u/WIA16 (R), and Co-Sponsored by u/awesomness (R) and u/justdefi (R)