SUMMARY AS OF:
7/19/2000--Introduced.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Title I: Health Security For All Americans - Expansion Phase (PHASE I)
- Title II: Health Security For All Americans - Universal PHASE (PHASE II)
- Title III: Patient Protections
- Title IV: Health Care Quality, Patient Safety, and Workforce Standards
- Title V: Improving Medicare Benefits
- Title VI: Long-Term and Home Health Care
- Title VII: Miscellaneous
Health Security for All Americans Act - Title I: Health Security for All
Americans - Expansion Phase (Phase I) - Amends the Social Security
Act (SSA) to add a new title XXII (Health Security For All Americans) with a
part A (Expansion Phase (Phase I) Plans) providing funds to participating States
to enable them to ensure universal health insurance coverage by voluntarily
establishing State administered systems which offer at least the benefits
provided under the Federal Employees Health Benefits program standard Blue
Cross-Blue Shield preferred provider option service benefit plan. Makes
appropriations.
Title II: Health Security for All Americans - Universal Phase
(Phase II) - Amends SSA title XXII to add a part B (Universal Phase (Phase
II) Plans) requiring States by January 1, 2006, to establish and implement
State-administered systems to ensure universal health insurance coverage equal
to the benefits provided under the Federal Employees Health Benefits program
standard Blue Cross-Blue Shield preferred provider option service benefit plan.
Provides for funds to States for the establishment and implementation of such
systems. Makes necessary appropriations.
(Sec. 202) Adds a part C (Consumer Protections) listing home care standards
and providing for consumer protection: (1) in the event of termination or
suspension of health services; (2) through disclosure of information regarding
health care workers; and (3) through notice of changes in health care delivery.
Title III: Patient Protections - Enacts into Federal law certain
provisions of H.R. 2723 of the 106th Congress, as introduced on August 5, 1999,
and H.R. 137 of the 106th Congress, as introduced on January 6, 1999.
Title IV: Health Care Quality, Patient Safety, and Workforce Standards
- Establishes within the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Health
Care Quality, Patient Safety, and Workforce Standards Institute to: (1)
demonstrate how patient safety issues and workplace conditions are linked to
quality patient care and the reduction of the incidence of medical errors; and
(2) reduce the incidence of medical errors and improve patient safety and
quality of care. Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 402) Establishes a Health Care Quality, Patient Safety, and Workforce
Standards Committee to advise the Director of the Health Care Quality, Patient
Safety, and Workforce Standards Institute.
Title V: Improving Medicare Benefits - Requires that each individual
entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) or enrolled
under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) be provided full mental
health and substance abuse treatment parity under Medicare consistent with SSA
title XXII (as added by this Act).
(Sec. 502) Directs the Director of the Institute of Medicine to study and
report to Congress and the President legislative recommendations for adding a
comprehensive, accessible, and affordable prescription drug benefit to Medicare.
Title VI: Long-Term and Home Health Care - Directs the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to: (1) conduct studies and demonstration projects,
through grant, contract, or interagency agreement, that are designed to identify
model programs for the provision of long-term and home health care services; and
(2) report to Congress on results.
Title VII: Miscellaneous - Makes specified provisions of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) inapplicable to health benefits
provided under a group health plan qualified to offer such benefits under an
expansion phase (phase I) plan or a universal phase (phase II) plan under SSA
title XXII.
(Sec. 702) Expresses the sense of Congress that any sums necessary for the
implementation of this Act should be offset by: (1) general revenues available
as a result of an on-budget surplus for a fiscal year; (2) direct savings in
health care expenditures resulting from the implementation of this Act; and (3)
reductions in unnecessary Federal tax benefits available only to individuals and
large corporations in the maximum tax brackets.