State High Risk Pool Funding Extension Act of 2005
Latest action. By Senator Enzi from Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions filed written report. Report No. 109-121.
State High Risk Pool Funding Extension Act of 2005 - Reauthorizes funds to provide grants to States to create and operate qualified high risk health insurance pools.
Amends provisions requiring the Secretary to award grants to States with existing qualified high risk pools to cover losses incurred by a State in connection with the operation of such a pool to: (1) remove the limit that provided that such grants would cover up to 50 percent of such losses; and (2) allow such grants to be made to entities that operate such a pool under applicable State law; and (3) change the allocation of such grants to give one-half of the funds to eligible States equally and apportion the other half based on the number of uninsured individual in each State and the number of enrollees in a State's qualified high risk pool. (Currently all funds are allotted based solely on the number of uninsured individuals in a State.)
Requires the Secretary to award grants to States with established qualified high risk pools for the provision of supplemental consumer benefits, which must include one or more of the following benefits: (1) low-income premium subsidies; (2) a reduction in premium trends, actual premiums, or other cost-sharing requirements; (3) an expansion or broadening of the pool of individuals eligible for coverage; (4) less stringent rules or additional waiver authority with respect to coverage of preexisting conditions; (5) increased benefits; or (6) establishment of disease management programs.
Authorizes appropriations.
Defines "qualified high risk pools" to allow States to provide for enrollment through: (1) a combination of a qualified high risk pool and an acceptable alternative mechanism; (2) health insurance coverage that meets the requirements for a high risk pool, limits rates, is available to all eligible individuals, and does not exceed the rate limit allowed for high risk pools; or (3) health insurance coverage that provides first dollar coverage, limits on cost-sharing, and comprehensive medical, hospital, and surgical coverage if the rate limits do not exceed 125 percent of the rate limit otherwise allowable for qualified high risk pools.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Reported to Senate with amendment(s)" stage on February 10, 2005. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on July 29, 2005: By Senator Enzi from Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions filed written report. Report No. 109-121.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 109th Congress (2005-06), 482 of the 10,701 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.5 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
Judd Gregg (R-NH) introduced it on February 3, 2005, and 11 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 3 Democrats, 8 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on February 3, 2005, 7889 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 7713 days ago, on July 29, 2005.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 109th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2007 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers