S.Amdt. 2910

SA 2910. Mr. FRANKEN (for himself, Mr. Rockefeller, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr.
Whitehouse, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Begich)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2786
proposed by Mr. Reid (for himself, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Dodd, and Mr.
Harkin) to the bill H.R. 3590, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to modify the first-time homebuyers credit in the case of members
of the Armed Forces and certain other Federal employees, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

After section 1003, insert the following:

SEC. 1004. BRINGING DOWN THE COST OF HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.

(a) In General.--Section 2718 of the Public Health Service
Act, as added by section 1001, is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 2718. BRINGING DOWN THE COST OF HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.

``(a) Clear Accounting for Costs.--A group health plan and
a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health
insurance coverage shall, with respect to each plan year,
submit to the Secretary a report concerning the percentage of
total premium revenue that such coverage expends--
``(1) on reimbursement for clinical services provided to
enrollees under such coverage;
``(2) for activities that improve health care quality; and
``(3) on all other non-claims costs, including an
explanation of the nature of such costs, and excluding State
taxes and licensing or regulatory fees.

The Secretary shall make reports received under this section
available to the public on the Internet website of the
Department of Health and Human Services.
``(b) Ensuring That Consumers Receive Value for Their
Premium Payments.--
``(1) Requirement to provide value for premium payments.--A
group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering
group or individual health insurance coverage shall, with
respect to each plan year, provide an annual rebate to each
enrollee under such coverage, on a pro rata basis, in an
amount that is equal to the amount by which premium revenue
expended by the plan or issuer on activities described in
subsection (a)(3) exceeds 10 percent, or such lower
percentage as a State may by regulation determine.
``(2) Consideration in setting percentages.--In determining
the percentages under paragraph (1), a State shall seek to
ensure adequate participation by group health plans and
health insurance issuers, competition in the health insurance
market in the State, and value for consumers so that premiums
are used for clinical services and quality improvements.
``(3) Enforcement.--The Secretary shall promulgate
regulations for enforcing the provisions of this section and
may provide for appropriate penalties.
``(c) Standard Hospital Charges.--Each hospital operating
within the United States shall for each year establish (and
update) and make public (in accordance with guidelines
developed by the Secretary) a list of the hospital's standard
charges for items and services provided by the hospital,
including for diagnosis-related groups established under
section 1886(d)(4) of the Social Security Act.
``(d) Definitions.--Not later than December 31, 2010, the
Secretary, in consultation with the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners, shall establish uniform definitions
of the activities reported under subsection (a) and
standardized methodologies for calculating measures of such
activities.''.
(b) Technical Amendments.--
(1) ERISA.--Section 715(b) of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act, as amended by section 1562(e), is
further amended by striking ``sections 2716 and 2718'' and
inserting ``section 2716''.
(2) IRC.--Section 9815(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 is amended by striking ``sections 2716 and 2718'' and
inserting ``section 2716''.
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