103d CONGRESS 1st Session H. R.XXX IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. Gephardt introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX A BILL To ensure individual and family security through health care coverage for all Americans in a manner that contains the rate of growth in health care costs and promotes responsible health insurance practices, to promote choice in health care, and to ensure and protect the health care of all Americans. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF TITLES AND SUBTITLES. (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Health Security Act''. (b) Table of Titles and Subtitles in Act.--The following are the titles and subtitles contained in this Act: TITLE I HEALTH CARE SECURITY Subtitle A Universal Coverage and Individual Responsibility Subtitle B Benefits Subtitle C State Responsibilities Subtitle D Health Alliances Subtitle E Health Plans Subtitle F Federal Responsibilities Subtitle G Employer Responsiblities Subtitle J General Definitions; Miscellaneous Provisions TITLE II NEW BENEFITS Subtitle A Medicare Outpatient Prescription Drug Benefit Subtitle B Long-Term Care TITLE III PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES Subtitle A Workforce Priorities Under Federal Payments Subtitle B Academic Health Centers Subtitle C Health Research Initiatives Subtitle D Core Functions of Public Health Programs; National Initiatives Regarding Preventive Health Subtitle E Health Services for Medically Underserved Populations Subtitle F Mental Health; Substance Abuse Subtitle G Comprehensive School Health Education; School-Related Health Services Subtitle H Public Health Service Initiative Subtitle I Coordination With COBRA Continuation Coverage TITLE IV MEDICARE AND MEDICAID Subtitle A Medicare and the Alliance System Subtitle B Savings in Medicare Program Subtitle C Medicaid Subtitle D Increase in SSI Personal Needs Allowance TITLE V QUALITY AND CONSUMER PROTECTION Subtitle A Quality Management and Improvement Subtitle B Information Systems, Privacy, and Administrative Simplification Subtitle C Remedies and Enforcement Subtitle D Medical Malpractice Subtitle E Fraud and Abuse Subtitle F McCarran-Ferguson Reform TITLE VI PREMIUM CAPS; PREMIUM-BASED FINANCING; AND PLAN PAYMENTS Subtitle A Premium Caps Subtitle B Premium-Related Financing Subtitle C Payments to Regional Alliance Health Plans TITLE VII REVENUE PROVISIONS Subtitle A Financing Provisions Subtitle B Tax Treatment of Employer-Provided Health Care Subtitle C Employment Status Provisions Subtitle D Tax Treatment of Funding of Retiree Health Benefits Subtitle E Coordination With COBRA Continuing Care Provisions Subtitle F Tax Treatment of Organizations Providing Health Care Services and Related Organizations Subtitle G Tax Treatment of Long-term Care Insurance and Services Subtitle H Tax Incentives for Health Services Providers Subtitle I Miscellaneous Provisions TITLE VIII HEALTH AND HEALTH-RELATED PROGRAMS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Subtitle A Military Health Care Reform Subtitle B Department of Veterans Affairs Subtitle C Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Subtitle D Indian Health Service Subtitle E Amendments to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 Subtitle F Special Fund for WIC Program TITLE IX AGGREGATE GOVERNMENT PAYMENTS TO REGIONAL ALLIANCES Subtitle A Aggregate State Payments Subtitle B Aggregate Federal Alliance Payments Subtitle C Borrowing Authority to Cover Cash-Flow Shortfalls TITLE X COORDINATION OF MEDICAL PORTION OF WORKERS COMPENSATION AND AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE Subtitle A Workers Compensation Insurance Subtitle B Automobile Insurance Subtitle C Commission on Integration of Health Benefits Subtitle D Federal Employees' Compensation Act Subtitle E Davis-Bacon Act and Service Contract Act Subtitle F Effective Dates TITLE XI TRANSITIONAL INSURANCE REFORM SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds as follows: (1) Under the current health care system in the United States (A) individuals risk losing their health care coverage when they move, when they lose or change jobs, when they become seriously ill, or when the coverage becomes unaffordable; (B) continued escalation of health care costs threatens the economy of the United States, undermines the international competitiveness of the Nation, and strains Federal, State, and local budgets; (C) an excessive burden of forms, paperwork, and bureaucratic procedures confuses consumers and overwhelms health care providers; (D) fraud and abuse sap the strength of the health care system; and (E) health care is a critical part of the economy of the United States and interstate commerce, consumes a significant percentage of public and private spending, and affects all industries and individuals in the United States. (2) Under any reform of the health care system (A) health insurance and high quality health care should be secure, uninterrupted, and affordable for all individuals in the United States; (B) comprehensive health care benefits that meet the full range of health needs, including primary, preventive, and specialized care, should be available to all individuals in the United States; (C) the current high quality of health care in the United States should be maintained; (D) individuals in the United States should be afforded a meaningful opportunity to choose among a range of health plans, health care providers, and treatments; (E) regulatory and administrative burdens should be reduced; (F) the rapidly escalating costs of health care should be contained without sacrificing high quality or impeding technological improvements; (G) competition in the health care industry should ensure that health plans and health care providers are efficient and charge reasonable prices; (H) a partnership between the Federal Government and each State should allow the State and its local communities to design an effective, high-quality system of care that serves the residents of the State; (I) all individuals should have a responsibility to pay their fair share of the costs of health care coverage; (J) a health care system should build on the strength of the employment-based coverage arrangements that now exist in the United States; (K) the penalties for fraud and abuse should be swift and severe; and (L) an individual's medical information should remain confidential and should be protected from unauthorized disclosure and use. SEC. 3. PURPOSES. The purposes of this Act are as follows: (1) To guarantee comprehensive and secure health care coverage. (2) To simplify the health care system for consumers and health care professionals. (3) To control the cost of health care for employers, employees, and others who pay for health care coverage. (4) To promote individual choice among health plans and health care providers. (5) To ensure high quality health care. (6) To encourage all individuals to take responsibility for their health care coverage.