S. 2948 · 110th Congress
Small Business Empowerment Act
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 110th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
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BrownSponsorNo cosponsors.
Small Business Empowerment Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a national program to make quality, affordable health insurance available to small employers and self-employed individuals in a manner that will spread risk on a national basis, modeled on the federal employees health benefit program.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · Apr 30, 2008
Small Business Empowerment Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a national program to make quality, affordable health insurance available to small employers and self-employed individuals in a manner that will spread risk on a national basis, modeled on the federal employees health benefit program.
Requires the Secretary to enter into a contract with an eligible entity for administration of the program. Authorizes such administrator to provide health insurance coverage to employees of participating employers and individuals. Directs such administrator to: (1) establish a pilot program to provide for the offering by carriers of a model health benefits plan; and (2) contract with the Institute of Medicine to assess the impact of the program on health care coverage costs and access.
Sets minimum standards for program health benefits plans. Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations providing for employer participation.
Establishes the National Health Coverage Commission. Includes among Commission duties: (1) developing a model that ensures adequate coverage for medically necessary services, promotes disease and chronic disease management, and provides incentives for health provider compliance with best practices protocols; and (2) developing model cost sharing mechanisms that do not discriminate and that accommodate lower income individuals.
Directs the Secretary and the program administrator to implement an educational campaign concerning the program.
Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a program to provide reinsurance to qualified carriers offering plans under this Act; (2) make specified large claim payments (from the Small Business Health Coverage Trust Fund established by this Act) and annual payments to such carriers; and (3) require the payment of monthly assessments by each issuer offering health insurance coverage.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Small Business Empowerment Act
Latest action (Apr 30, 2008): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Policy area: Health · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Apr 30, 2008
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.