[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 55 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 55

  To make the Federal employees health benefits program available to 
individuals age 55 to 65 who would not otherwise have health insurance, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 1999

  Mr. Dreier introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
  Committee on Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on 
   Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To make the Federal employees health benefits program available to 
individuals age 55 to 65 who would not otherwise have health insurance, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 8915. Coverage for the near elderly
    ``(a) For purposes of this section, the term `qualified individual' 
means an individual who, as of the date on which such individual first 
submits an application for health insurance coverage under this chapter 
in accordance with subsection (d)--
            ``(1) is at least 55 but less than 65 years of age; and
            ``(2) has not been covered under any policy of health 
        insurance for at least the preceding 30 days.
    ``(b) Subject to the succeeding provisions of this section, any 
qualified individual may enroll in an approved health benefits plan 
under this chapter, for self alone, so long as such individual pays 
currently into the Employees Health Benefits Fund, under arrangements 
acceptable to the Office of Personnel Management, the full amount of 
the subscription charges required.
    ``(c) The total subscription charges required in the case of an 
individual enrolled in a health benefits plan under this section shall 
be equal to the sum of the employee and agency contributions that would 
apply under this chapter in the case of an employee enrolled in the 
same health benefits plan and level of benefits for self alone.
    ``(d) An application to obtain health insurance coverage under this 
section may be submitted during any open enrollment period normally 
provided for under this chapter and at such other times as the Office 
may by regulation prescribe.
    ``(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section--
            ``(1) an individual may not enroll or remain enrolled in 
        any health benefits plan pursuant to this section after 
        attaining age 65; and
            ``(2) an individual whose enrollment under this section is 
        terminated, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, shall be 
        barred from subsequently reenrolling under this section.
    ``(f) The Office shall prescribe such regulations as may be 
necessary to carry out this section.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 89 of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``8915. Coverage for the near elderly.''.
    (c) Applicability.--The amendments made by this section shall apply 
with respect to determinations as to eligibility for coverage 
commencing in any contract year beginning after the end of the 6-month 
period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF AVAILABILITY OF MEDICAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTS.

    (a) Repeal of Limitations on Number of Medical Savings Accounts.--
            (1) In general.--Subsections (i) and (j) of section 220 of 
        the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 are hereby repealed.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Paragraph (1) of section 220(c) 
        of such Code is amended by striking subparagraph (D).
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years ending after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
                                 <all>