[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6170 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6170

To prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from precluding 
    patients from entering into any contract with their health care 
                               providers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 22, 2010

Mr. Price of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Gingrey of Georgia, Mr. Fleming, 
  Mr. Paul, Mr. Conaway, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. 
Gohmert, Mr. Coffman of Colorado, Mr. Rooney, Mr. Posey, and Mr. Roe of 
  Tennessee) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from precluding 
    patients from entering into any contract with their health care 
                               providers.

    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 ``Patient-Doctor Freedom Act of 
2010''.

SEC. 2. RIGHT OF CONTRACT WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
not preclude an enrollee, participant, or beneficiary in a health 
benefits plan from entering into any contract or arrangement for health 
care with any health care provider.
    (b) Health Benefits Plan Defined.--
            (1) In general.--In this section, subject to paragraph (2), 
        the term ``health benefits plan'' means any of the following:
                    (A) Group health plan (as defined in section 2791 
                of the Public Health Service Act).
                    (B) Health insurance coverage (as defined in 
                section 2791 of such Act).
                    (C) A health benefits plan under chapter 89 of 
                title 5, United States Code.
                    (D) A multi-State qualified health plan under 
                section 1334 of the Patient Protection and Affordable 
                Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18044).
                    (E) A health plan offered under the Consumer 
                Operated and Oriented Plan program under section 1322 
                of such Act (42 U.S.C. 18042).
                    (F) A basic health program established under 
                section 1331 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 18051).
                    (G) A qualified health plan offered under a health 
                care choice compact under section 1333 of such Act (42 
                U.S.C. 18053).
                    (H) Another health plan offered under title I of 
                such Act.
            (2) Exclusion of medicaid and tricare.--Such term does not 
        include a health plan participating in--
                    (A) the Medicaid program under title XIX of the 
                Social Security Act; or
                    (B) the TRICARE program under chapter 55 of title 
                10, United States Code.
    (c) Health Care Provider Defined.--In this section, the term 
``health care provider'' means--
            (1) a physician, as defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), 
        and (4) of section 1861(r) of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1395x(r)); and
            (2) a health care practitioner described in section 
        1842(b)(18)(C) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(18)(C)).
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