[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1899 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1899

      To require every American to have health insurance coverage.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 30, 2007

  Mr. Cardin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
                  referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To require every American to have health insurance coverage.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Universal Health Coverage Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. UNIVERSAL HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR ALL AMERICANS.

    (a) In General.--Each individual residing in the United States who 
is a citizen or national of the United States, or an alien lawfully 
admitted to the United States for permanent residence shall have 
qualified health coverage.
    (b) Qualified Health Coverage Defined.--For purposes of this 
section, the term ``qualified health coverage'' means coverage under 
any of the following:
            (1) The medicare, medicaid, or SCHIP program, under title 
        XVIII, XIX, or XXI of the Social Security Act.
            (2) A program of veterans' medical care under chapter 17 of 
        title 38, United States Code.
            (3) Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code.
            (4) The Federal employees health benefits program under 
        chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code.
            (5) A program of the Indian Health Service.
            (6) A group health plan (as defined in section 733(a)(1) of 
        the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974), including 
        a retiree health plan.
            (7) A health plan described in subsection (d).
            (8) Any other qualified health coverage as the State 
        involved finds appropriate.
    (c) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to an individual who 
is opposed for religious reasons to health coverage, including an 
individual who declines health plan coverage due to a reliance on 
healing using spiritual means through prayer alone.
    (d) Low Cost Plans.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in 
consultation with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 
shall develop at least 3 types of low-cost health insurance plans for 
each State and the District of Columbia that shall be made available, 
on a guaranteed-issue basis, to all individuals with incomes below 400 
percent of the Federal poverty line (as determined by the Secretary).
    (e) Effective Date.--Subsection (a) shall take effect on January 1, 
2009.

SEC. 3. EXCISE TAX FOR ENFORCEMENT AND FUNDING OF UNCOMPENSATED CARE 
              HOSPITAL POOL.

    (a) In General.--Subtitle D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
(relating to miscellaneous excise taxes) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new chapter:

``CHAPTER 48--UNINSURED EXCISE TAX FOR UNCOMPENSATED CARE HOSPITAL POOL

``Sec. 5000A. Uninsured excise tax for uncompensated care hospital 
                            pool.

``SEC. 5000A. UNINSURED EXCISE TAX FOR UNCOMPENSATED CARE HOSPITAL 
              POOL.

    ``There is hereby imposed on each individual who for any month (or 
portion thereof) is required, but fails, to have qualified health 
coverage in accordance with section 2(a) of the Universal Health 
Coverage Act of 2007 for any continuous period that is greater than 60 
days a tax in an amount equal to the average monthly premium amount for 
qualified health coverage in the State in which the individual resides 
(as determined pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Secretary) 
for each such month.''.
    (b) Application of Tax for Automatic Enrollment.--Amounts collected 
under section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be 
credited to a fund administered by the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services and shall be available in advance of appropriations for the 
Secretary to cover the cost of administering a program to automatically 
enroll individuals who pay a tax under such section in health care 
coverage under one of the three lowest cost qualified health coverage 
products offered in the State involved. Such coverage may include 
enrollment in any program described in section 2(b) if the individual 
is eligible for such enrollment. The Secretary shall carry out the 
program under this subsection in consultation and coordination with 
State governors.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of chapters for subtitle D of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the 
following new item:

Chapter 48. Uninsured excise tax for uncompensated care hospital pool.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on January 1, 2009.
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