S.Amdt. 3363

SA 3363. Mr. SANDERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 3224 proposed by Mr. Roberts (for himself and Ms.
Stabenow) to the bill H.R. 2, to provide for the reform and
continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of
Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle F of title XII, add the following:

SEC. ___. HEALTH CARE FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to
in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall award grants to
States and nonprofit entities to establish and support
programs to mitigate the financial risk posed to farms and
ranches by high health costs by--
(1) providing information and services to assist farmers
and ranchers to determine their eligibility for comprehensive
health coverage; and
(2) subsidizing out-of-pocket health expenditures for
farmers and ranchers who are enrolled in comprehensive health
coverage and have annual household incomes below 500 percent
of the Federal poverty rate.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Farmers and ranchers.--The term ``farmers and
ranchers'' means individuals who work as farmers or ranchers,
and any spouse or dependant (as defined in section 152 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986) of such an individual.
(2) Comprehensive health coverage.--The term
``comprehensive health coverage'' means public or private
health insurance coverage that--
(A) offers--
(i) benefits that are at least equivalent to the essential
health benefits package under section 1302(a) of the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18022(a)); and
(ii) consumer protections that are at least equivalent to
the consumer protections required under such Act and under
title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg
et seq.), including protections for individuals with pre-
existing conditions; or
(B) meets the requirements for being minimum essential
coverage under section 5000A(f)(1) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as in effect on June 1, 2018.
(3) Out-of-pocket health expenditures.--The term ``out-of-
pocket health expenditures'' means health insurance
deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing
incurred by individuals and families enrolled in
comprehensive health insurance benefits.
(c) Number of Awards.--The Secretary shall make awards
under this section to eligible applicants located in not
fewer than 10 States.
(d) Grant Period.--Grants under this section shall be
awarded for not longer than a 5-year period and may be
renewed at the Secretary's discretion.
(e) Selection Priority.--In awarding grants under this
section, the Secretary shall--
(1) give priority to States and nonprofit entities located
in States where, according to the most recent Census of
Agriculture the primary occupation of not less than half of
principal farm operators is farming; and
(2) ensure that grantees and grant funds are distributed
across Census of Agriculture regions and divisions.
(f) Supplement Not Supplant.--Funds made available under
this section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant,
other Federal, State, or private funds that are made
available for the purposes described in subsection (a).
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section
$20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, to
remain available until expended.
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