A bill to amend title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to provide new portability, participation, solvency, and other health insurance protections and freedoms for workers in a mobile workforce, to increase the purchasing power of employees and employers by removing barriers to the voluntary formation of association health plans, to increase health plan competition providing more affordable choice of coverage, to expand access to health insurance coverage for employees of small employers through open markets, and for other purposes.
Expansion of Portability and Health Insurance Coverage Act of 1997 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to establish rules governing health plans sponsored by certain associations, including requirements for: (1) certification; (2) sponsors and boards of trustees, and treatment of franchised networks and collectively bargained plans; (3) participation and coverage of employers and individuals and of previously uninsured employees; (4) plan documents, contribution rates, and benefit options; (5) maintenance of reserves, excess-stop loss insurance, and solvency indemnification for plans providing health benefits in addition to health insurance coverage; (6) application and related matters, and notice for voluntary termination; (7) corrective actions and mandatory termination; and (8) special rules for church plans.
Revises requirements for the treatment of: (1) single employer arrangements; and (2) certain collectively bargained arrangements.
Adds requirements relating to association health plans, with respect to: (1) enforcement; and (2) State responsibilities and cooperation between Federal and State authorities.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 24 - 20.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4267-4268)
Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Hearings held.
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