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<BillSummaries>
<item congress="113" measure-type="hr" measure-number="3504" measure-id="id113hr3504" originChamber="HOUSE" orig-publish-date="2013-11-15" update-date="2014-02-06">
<title>Consumer Protection and Rate Review Act of 2013</title>
<summary summary-id="id113hr3504v00" currentChamber="HOUSE" update-date="2014-02-06">
<action-date>2013-11-15</action-date>
<action-desc>Introduced in House</action-desc>
<summary-text><![CDATA[<p> Consumer Protection and Rate Review Act of 2013 - Requires each state insurance commissioner to investigate and take appropriate actions on cases of inadequate notices of cancellations or conversions of health insurance coverage in the individual market that take effect on or after January 1, 2014. Requires that such a notice be treated as inadequate if it fails to: (1) contain information on obtaining health insurance coverage through an American Health Benefit Exchange under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), on the possible availability of assistance under PPACA towards payment of the premiums and cost-sharing for such coverage, and on the improved benefits for coverage through an Exchange, compared to coverage not offered through an Exchange; (2) be transparent by inappropriately steering individuals to more expensive plans provided by the cancelling issuer; or (3) otherwise comply with requirements of law.</p> <p>Amends the Public Health Service Act to declare that federal requirements that the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) review unreasonable premium increases in health care coverage shall not be construed to prohibit a state from imposing additional rate requirements on health insurance issuers that are more protective of consumers. Expands such review to include all rate increases, not only premium increases.</p> <p>Directs the Secretary or the relevant state insurance commissioner (or state regulator) to take corrective actions to ensure that any excessive, unjustified, or unfairly discriminatory rates are corrected before, or as soon as possible after, implementation, including through mechanisms such as denying rates, modifying rates, or requiring rebates to consumers. Authorizes civil monetary penalties and ineligibility as a qualified health plan for failing to comply with any corrective action taken by the Secretary.</p> <p>Requires the Secretary to determine whether the state insurance commissioner or regulator or the Secretary will undertake such corrective actions based on whether the state can adequately undertake such actions.<br /> <br /> Applies this Act to health plans grandfathered under PPACA.</p>]]></summary-text>
</summary>
</item>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
<dc:contributor>Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress</dc:contributor>
<dc:description>This file contains bill summaries for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.</dc:description>
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