[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 969 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 969

   To prohibit conditioning licensure of a health care provider upon 
                    participation in a health plan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 9, 2011

 Mr. Price of Georgia (for himself, Mrs. Black, Mr. Roe of Tennessee, 
Mr. Bilbray, Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, Mr. Coffman of Colorado, Mr. 
   Cassidy, Mr. Gingrey of Georgia, and Mr. Fleming) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To prohibit conditioning licensure of a health care provider upon 
                    participation in a health plan.

    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 ``Medical Practice Freedom Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LICENSURE CANNOT BE CONDITIONED ON 
              PARTICIPATION IN A HEALTH PLAN.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services and any 
State (as a condition of receiving Federal financial participation 
under title XIX of the Social Security Act) may not require any health 
care provider to participate in any health plan as a condition of 
licensure of the provider in any State.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Health plan.--The term ``health plan'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 1171(5) of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 1320d(5)), and includes a basic health program 
        established under section 1331 of the Patient Protection and 
        Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), a qualified health 
        plan offered by a qualified nonprofit health insurance issuer 
        under the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) program 
        under section 1322 of such Act, a qualified health plan offered 
        under a health care choice compact under section 1333 of such 
        Act, a multi-state qualified health plan offered under section 
        1334 of such Act, or other health plan offered under title I of 
        such Act.
            (2) Health care provider.--The term ``health care 
        provider'' means any person or entity that is required by State 
        or Federal laws or regulations to be licensed, registered, or 
        certified to provide health care services and is so licensed, 
        registered, or certified, or exempted from such requirement by 
        other statute or regulation.
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such 
        term for purposes of title XIX of the Social Security Act.
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