Post by rickmclaughlin on Dec 9, 2005 14:23:36 GMT -5
Mr. McLaughlin, on behalf of the President of the United States, Rick Warder, introduce
Section 1. Short Title.
This Act may be cited as the 'Universal Health Care Freedom Act'.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) More than 45 million Americans currently have no health insurance coverage;
(2) Medicare provides health insurance for 41 million Americans who are seniors or disabled;
(3) Medicare loses billions of dollars each year as a result of fraud;
(4) A study published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons found that in a survey given to Medicare customer service representatives, 96% of answers were wrong;
(5) In its 2005 report to Congress, the Medicare Board of Trustees reported that Medicare would run out of money by 2015;
(6) Medicare must be abolished and replaced with a system which (a) provides health care for all American citizens, not just groups of citizens, which (b) lifts the burden on employers to pay for employee health insurance, consuming currently ca. 8.5% of total employer payrolls, which (c) ends the threat of personal bankruptcy, since medical costs cause 45% of all personal bankruptcies and which (d) utilizes the force of the free market to achieve the greatest cost efficiency in medical care and taxpayer savings possible.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
In this Act:
(1) Health Care Provider- The term 'health care provider' means a person or entity licensed or otherwise authorized under State law to provide health care services.
(2) Federal Poverty Line- The term 'Federal poverty line' means the federal poverty guidelines issued each year in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services under US Code; as determined by persons in family unit and income threshold.
(3) Senior Citizen- The term 'senior citizen' means a person age 65 or older.
(4) Children- The term 'children' means a person under the age of 18.
(4) Health Savings Account- The term 'Health Savings Account' or 'HSA' shall be defined as found under US Code.
Title I -- Health Care Savings and Cost Reduction
Sec. 101. Health Care Savings Accounts.
(a) Eligibility Amendment- All individuals covered by a health insurance plan shall be eligible to create a Health Savings Account.
(b) Cap Removal- The limit for annual Health Savings Account contribution is hereby raised to 50% of gross annual income.
Sec. 102. Stricter Insurance Fraud Penalties.
Section 1035, Title 18, United States Code, is hereby amended by striking "shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both." and inserting:
"shall be fined under this title no less than $5,000 and no greater than $1,000,000, or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or fined an amount found equal to the damages caused by the offense under this section, or a combination of the penalties allowed."
Title II -- Universal Health Rebate Program
Sec. 201. Establishment.
(a) Established- There is hereby established under the Department of Health and Human Services the 'Universal Health Rebate Program.'
(b) Purpose- It is the purpose of the Universal Health Rebate Program to achieve universal heath care coverage within the United States and bring down health care costs for most Americans.
Sec. 202. Eligibility.
(a) Eligibility- All persons legally residing in the United States and are eligible for coverage under the program under this Title. Eligibility means that the Government will pay a certain percentage of health care costs incurred by the individual. The percentages shall be--
(1) 70% of all health care costs for individuals at a minimum;
(2) 70-90% of all health care costs for certain individuals as determined in subsection (b); and
(3) 99% of all health care costs for children and senior citizens.
(b) Certain Individuals- Certain individuals shall be eligible for greater than the 70% rebate contribution under subsection (a), as follows--
(1) Individuals in a household making less than 200% of the federal poverty line shall receive a 80% contribution;
(2) Individuals in a household making less than the federal poverty line shall receive a 90% contribution.
Sec. 203. Costs Covered.
All health care costs incurred by a person eligible for this program shall be covered if certified by a health care provider; unless the procedure is of a cosmetic and non-medical nature. For the purpose of this title, 'procedure' includes prescription drug purchases.
Sec. 204. Delivery.
(a) Consent- To receive the contribution under section 202 of this Title, individuals wishing to be covered by the program shall consent to participation in the program by (1) designating consent to participation on their annual income tax return, or (2) applying to the Secretary with the relevant information as to eligibility provided on a form made available by the Secretary at no cost and no later than 6 months after passage of this Act.
(b) Interagency Authorization- The Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized to work with the Internal Revenue Service to integrate application to the program with income tax returns.
(c.) Delivery- Individuals who are eligible for the program under Section 202 of this Title shall receive a card, issued by the Secretary, containing their personal information and contribution eligibility. This card may be used to charge health care costs eligible for contribution to the program at health care providers eligible and participating in the program.
(d) Doctor Certification- Contributions under this title must contribute to payment of a medical procedure prescribed or recommended by a doctor.
Sec. 205. Fraud.
It shall be a felony to misrepresent, defraud, or falsify information in applying for eligibility to the program under Sec. 204(a)(2) or use a card which does not belong to the individual it was issued to. Individuals found guilty of these crimes shall be fined under this title, imprisoned no more than 5 years, or both.
Sec. 206. Medicare.
After the passage of this Act, the government shall phase out all outlays to Medicare, as those covered under this Act no longer require Medicare coverage.
Section 1. Short Title.
This Act may be cited as the 'Universal Health Care Freedom Act'.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) More than 45 million Americans currently have no health insurance coverage;
(2) Medicare provides health insurance for 41 million Americans who are seniors or disabled;
(3) Medicare loses billions of dollars each year as a result of fraud;
(4) A study published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons found that in a survey given to Medicare customer service representatives, 96% of answers were wrong;
(5) In its 2005 report to Congress, the Medicare Board of Trustees reported that Medicare would run out of money by 2015;
(6) Medicare must be abolished and replaced with a system which (a) provides health care for all American citizens, not just groups of citizens, which (b) lifts the burden on employers to pay for employee health insurance, consuming currently ca. 8.5% of total employer payrolls, which (c) ends the threat of personal bankruptcy, since medical costs cause 45% of all personal bankruptcies and which (d) utilizes the force of the free market to achieve the greatest cost efficiency in medical care and taxpayer savings possible.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
In this Act:
(1) Health Care Provider- The term 'health care provider' means a person or entity licensed or otherwise authorized under State law to provide health care services.
(2) Federal Poverty Line- The term 'Federal poverty line' means the federal poverty guidelines issued each year in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services under US Code; as determined by persons in family unit and income threshold.
(3) Senior Citizen- The term 'senior citizen' means a person age 65 or older.
(4) Children- The term 'children' means a person under the age of 18.
(4) Health Savings Account- The term 'Health Savings Account' or 'HSA' shall be defined as found under US Code.
Title I -- Health Care Savings and Cost Reduction
Sec. 101. Health Care Savings Accounts.
(a) Eligibility Amendment- All individuals covered by a health insurance plan shall be eligible to create a Health Savings Account.
(b) Cap Removal- The limit for annual Health Savings Account contribution is hereby raised to 50% of gross annual income.
Sec. 102. Stricter Insurance Fraud Penalties.
Section 1035, Title 18, United States Code, is hereby amended by striking "shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both." and inserting:
"shall be fined under this title no less than $5,000 and no greater than $1,000,000, or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or fined an amount found equal to the damages caused by the offense under this section, or a combination of the penalties allowed."
Title II -- Universal Health Rebate Program
Sec. 201. Establishment.
(a) Established- There is hereby established under the Department of Health and Human Services the 'Universal Health Rebate Program.'
(b) Purpose- It is the purpose of the Universal Health Rebate Program to achieve universal heath care coverage within the United States and bring down health care costs for most Americans.
Sec. 202. Eligibility.
(a) Eligibility- All persons legally residing in the United States and are eligible for coverage under the program under this Title. Eligibility means that the Government will pay a certain percentage of health care costs incurred by the individual. The percentages shall be--
(1) 70% of all health care costs for individuals at a minimum;
(2) 70-90% of all health care costs for certain individuals as determined in subsection (b); and
(3) 99% of all health care costs for children and senior citizens.
(b) Certain Individuals- Certain individuals shall be eligible for greater than the 70% rebate contribution under subsection (a), as follows--
(1) Individuals in a household making less than 200% of the federal poverty line shall receive a 80% contribution;
(2) Individuals in a household making less than the federal poverty line shall receive a 90% contribution.
Sec. 203. Costs Covered.
All health care costs incurred by a person eligible for this program shall be covered if certified by a health care provider; unless the procedure is of a cosmetic and non-medical nature. For the purpose of this title, 'procedure' includes prescription drug purchases.
Sec. 204. Delivery.
(a) Consent- To receive the contribution under section 202 of this Title, individuals wishing to be covered by the program shall consent to participation in the program by (1) designating consent to participation on their annual income tax return, or (2) applying to the Secretary with the relevant information as to eligibility provided on a form made available by the Secretary at no cost and no later than 6 months after passage of this Act.
(b) Interagency Authorization- The Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized to work with the Internal Revenue Service to integrate application to the program with income tax returns.
(c.) Delivery- Individuals who are eligible for the program under Section 202 of this Title shall receive a card, issued by the Secretary, containing their personal information and contribution eligibility. This card may be used to charge health care costs eligible for contribution to the program at health care providers eligible and participating in the program.
(d) Doctor Certification- Contributions under this title must contribute to payment of a medical procedure prescribed or recommended by a doctor.
Sec. 205. Fraud.
It shall be a felony to misrepresent, defraud, or falsify information in applying for eligibility to the program under Sec. 204(a)(2) or use a card which does not belong to the individual it was issued to. Individuals found guilty of these crimes shall be fined under this title, imprisoned no more than 5 years, or both.
Sec. 206. Medicare.
After the passage of this Act, the government shall phase out all outlays to Medicare, as those covered under this Act no longer require Medicare coverage.