US Congress Senate Bill 254 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)
Status: Introduced on January 26 2015 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2015-01-26 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Pending: Senate Finance Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Small Business Health Relief Act of 2015 Repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that: (1) impose fines on large employers (those with 50 or more full-time employees) who fail to offer their full-time employees the opportunity to enroll in minimum essential health insurance coverage, and (2) require large employers to file a report with the Department of the Treasury on health insurance coverage provided to their full-time employees. Repeals provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that: (1) limit the annual deductible on health plans offered in the small group market, (2) deem catastrophic plans to meet essential health benefits coverage requirements for certain individuals, and (3) impose an annual fee on health insurance entities. Deems high deductible health plans to meet essential health benefits coverage requirements if the enrollee has established a health savings account. Amends the Public Health Service Act to repeal the limitation on premium rate variance by age in the individual or small group market. Repeals the prohibitions on payments for over-the-counter medications from health savings accounts, medical savings accounts, and health flexible spending arrangements. Repeals the $2,500 annual limit on employee contributions by salary reduction to a health flexible spending arrangement under a cafeteria plan. Allows a health plan to maintain its status as a grandfathered health plan regardless of any modification to cost-sharing, employer contribution rates, or covered benefits. Makes this allowance effective as if included in PPACA.

Small Business Health Relief Act of 2015

Sen. Rob Portman [R-OH]

Sen. Kelly Ayotte [R-NH]

Sen. John McCain [R-AZ]

Sen. Tim Scott [R-SC]

Date	Chamber	Action
2015-01-26	Senate	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

HB1270 (Related) 2016-07-11 - Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 550.
SB709 (Related) 2015-03-11 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/254/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/s254/BILLS-114s254is.pdf