S.Amdt. 2925Senate111th Congress (2009-2011)2nd degree

S.Amdt. 2925

Submitted December 5, 2009

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Senate amendment submitted

December 5, 2009

Text

Submitted

SA 2925. Ms. STABENOW 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:

At the appropriate place in title I, insert the following:

SEC. __. STATE HEALTH ACCESS PROGRAM GRANTS.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
(in this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall
award grants to States (as defined for purposes of title XIX
of the Social Security Act) to establish programs to expand
access to affordable health care coverage for the uninsured
populations in that State in a manner consistent with reforms
to take effect under this title (and the amendments made by
this title) in 2014.
(b) Types of Programs.--The types of programs for which
grants are available under subsection (a) include the
following:
(1) State insurance exchanges.--State insurance Exchanges
that develop new, less expensive, portable benefit packages
for small employers and part-time and seasonal workers.
(2) Community coverage program.--Community coverage with
shared responsibility between employers, governmental or
nonprofit entities, and the individual.

[[Page S12518]]

(3) Reinsurance plan program.--Reinsurance plans that
subsidize a certain share of carrier losses within a certain
risk corridor health insurance premium assistance.
(4) Transparent marketplace program.--Transparent
marketplace that provides an organized structure for the sale
of insurance products such as a web-based exchange or portal.
(5) Automated enrollment program.--Statewide or automated
enrollment systems for public assistance programs.
(6) Innovative strategies.--Innovative strategies to insure
low-income childless adults.
(7) Purchasing collaboratives.--Business and consumer
collaboratives that provides direct contract health care
service purchasing options for group plan sponsors.
(c) Eligibility and Administration.--
(1) Implementation of key statutory or regulatory
changes.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section for a program, a State shall demonstrate that--
(A) it has achieved the key State and local statutory or
regulatory changes required to begin implementing the new
program within 1 year after the initiation of funding under
the grant; and
(B) it will be able to sustain the program without Federal
funding after the end of the period of the grant.
(2) Ineligibility.--A State that has developed a
comprehensive health insurance access program prior to the
date of enactment of this Act shall not eligible for a grant
under this section.
(3) Application required.--No State shall receive a grant
under this section unless the State has approved by the
Secretary such an application, in such form and manner as the
Secretary specifies.
(4) Administration based on current program.--The program
under this section is intended to build on the State Health
Access Program funded under the Omnibus Appropriations Act,
2009 (Public Law 111-8).
(d) Funding Limitations.--
(1) In general.--A grant under this section shall--
(A) only be available for expenditures before 2014; and
(B) only be used to supplement, and not supplant, funds
otherwise provided.
(2) Matching fund requirement.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), no grant may
be awarded to a State under this section unless the State
demonstrates the seriousness of its effort by matching at
least 20 percent of the grant amount through non-Federal
resources, which may be a combination of State, local, and
private dollars from insurers, providers, and other private
organizations.
(B) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive the requirement of
subparagraph (A) if the State demonstrates to the Secretary
financial hardship in complying with such requirement.
(e) Study.--The Secretary shall review, study, and
benchmark the progress and results of the programs funded
under this section.
(f) Report.--Each State receiving a grant under this
section shall submit to the Secretary a report on best
practices and lessons learned through the grant to inform the
health reform coverage expansions under this title beginning
in 2014.
(g) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated such
sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
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