[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1500 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1500

  To give Americans access to affordable child-only health insurance 
                               coverage.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 2, 2011

Ms. Murkowski (for herself, Mr. Enzi, and Mr. Alexander) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To give Americans access to affordable child-only 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 ``Ensure Children Have Health Care 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The minority staff of the Committee on Health, 
        Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate surveyed whether 
        children under the age of 19 have access to child-only health 
        insurance plans since the enactment of the Patient Protection 
        and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and 
        Education Reconciliation Act. The survey found that passage of 
        the new health care law prompted health insurance carriers to 
        stop selling new child-only health plans in many States.
            (2) Of the 50 States, 17 States reported that there are no 
        health insurance carriers selling child-only health plans to 
        new enrollees in the State.
            (3) Thirty-nine States indicated that at least one health 
        insurance carrier exited the child-only health insurance market 
        in the State following enactment of the new health care law.
            (4) Accordingly, child-only health insurance access and 
        competition in the market have declined significantly since the 
        passage of the new health care law. This precedent raises 
        concerns about the impact that similar changes, which are 
        scheduled to go into effect in 2014, will have in reducing 
        access and competition in the health insurance market.
            (5) Americans under the age of 19 should be able to get 
        health insurance coverage in every State, and if it is not 
        offered in their State, they should be able to purchase health 
        insurance coverage from another State.

SEC. 3. PURCHASING CHILD-ONLY HEALTH INSURANCE ACROSS STATE LINES.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
effective on October 1, 2011, a health insurance issuer that is 
licensed to offer child-only health insurance coverage in a State may 
also offer such coverage to eligible residents of other States. The 
laws of the State in which the issuer is licensed shall apply with 
respect to any such coverage.
    (b) Open Enrollment.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
provide for the application of a uniform annual enrollment period of at 
least 45 days with respect to child-only health insurance coverage to 
which this section applies.
    (c) Regulations.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
promulgate regulations to carry out this section, including regulations 
that--
            (1) provide protections to enrollees under such 
        regulations;
            (2) ensure the solvency of health insurance issuers that 
        offer coverage under such regulations; and
            (3) clarify the procedures that would apply when an 
        enrollee has a complaint concerning their coverage.
    (d) Definitions.--
            (1) In general.--The definitions contained in section 2791 
        of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-91) shall 
        apply for purposes of this section.
            (2) Child-only health insurance coverage.--The term 
        ``child-only health insurance coverage'' means health insurance 
        coverage that is offered only to individuals who are under 19 
        years of age.
                                 <all>