Health Care Choice Act
The Health Care Choice Act is a bill that proposes allowing health insurance companies to sell health insurance across U.S. state lines.
Health Care Choice Act of 2005
On May 12, 2005, The Health Care Choice Act of 2005, was introduced as H.R. 2355 in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) and as S. 1015 in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC).
H.R.2355 gained 71 Republican co-sponsors in the House (Rep. Ed Towns (D-NY) signed on as a co-sponsor a day before and withdrew as a co-sponsor two days after the hearing on the bill) and S.1015 gained 3 Republican co-sponsors in the Senate.
On June 28, 2005, a hearing on H.R 2335 was held by the House Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce with five invited witnesses.
Three witnesses testified in favor of H.R.2355:
- Robert Garcia de Posada, chairman and President of The Latino Coalition and former Director of Hispanic Affairs at the Republican National Committee under Lee Atwater
- Merrill Matthews, Jr., Director of the Council for Affordable Health Insurance (CAHI) (a research and advocacy association of health insurance companies active in the individual market)
- David Gratzer, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a Canadian psychiatry resident
Two witnesses testified against H.R.2355:
- Mike Kreidler, Washington State Insurance Commissioner on behalf of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners
- L. Hunter Limbaugh, Chair of the Advocacy Committee of the American Diabetes Association
On July 20, 2005, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce by a vote of 24 to 23 (24 Republicans in favor, 21 Democrats and 2 Republicans opposed) ordered H.R.2355 reported favorably out of committee, which it was on February 16, 2006, and subsequently died with no further action in the full House. S.1015 died in committee.
Health Care Choice Act of 2007
On December 12, 2007, The Health Care Choice Act of 2007, was introduced as H.R. 4460 in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ), and as of January 17, 2008, had 43 Republican co-sponsors. This plan was analyzed by Sven R Larson in a white paper for Center for Freedom and Prosperity. Larson finds considerable cost savings from interstate health-insurance market competition.
Health Care Choice Act of 2009
On July 14, 2009, The Health Care Choice Act of 2009, was introduced as H.R. 3217 in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ), and as of September 7, 2009, had 5 Republican co-sponsors.
Legislative history
| Congress | Short title | Bill number(s) | Date introduced | Sponsor(s) | # of cosponsors | Latest status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 108th Congress | Health Care Choice Act | H.R. 4662 | June 23, 2004 | John Shadegg
(R-AZ) |
40 | Died in committee |
| 109th Congress | Health Care Choice Act of 2005 | H.R. 2355 | May 12, 2005 | John Shadegg
(R-AZ) |
71 | Died in committee |
| S. 1015 | May 12, 2005 | Jim DeMint
(R-SC) |
3 | Died in committee | ||
| 110th Congress | Health Care Choice Act of 2007 | H.R. 4460 | December 12, 2007 | John Shadegg
(R-AZ) |
63 | Died in committee |
| S. 2477 | December 13, 2007 | Jim DeMint
(R-SC) |
8 | Died in committee | ||
| 111th Congress | Health Care Choice Act of 2009 | H.R. 3217 | July 14, 2009 | John Shadegg
(R-AZ) |
28 | Died in committee |
| S. 1459 | July 16, 2009 | Jim DeMint
(R-SC) |
1 | Died in committee | ||
| 112th Congress | Health Care Choice Act of 2011 | H.R. 346 | January 19, 2011 | Steve Pearce
(R-NM) |
7 | Died in committee |
| H.R. 371 | January 20, 2011 | Marsha Blackburn
(R-TN) |
154 | Died in committee | ||
| 113th Congress | Health Care Choice Act of 2013 | H.R. 762 | February 15, 2013 | Marsha Blackburn
(R-TN) |
23 | Died in committee |
| 114th Congress | Health Care Choice Act of 2015 | H.R. 543 | January 27, 2015 | Marsha Blackburn
(R-TN) |
18 | Died in committee |
| S. 647 | March 3, 2015 | Ted Cruz
(R-TX) |
5 | Died in committee | ||
| 115th Congress | Health Care Choice Act of 2017 | H.R. 314 | January 5, 2017 | Marsha Blackburn
(R-TN) |
51 | Died in committee |
| S. 2021 | October 26, 2017 | Ted Cruz
(R-TX) |
1 | Died in committee |
References
- Shadegg, John (2005). "H.R.2355 The Health Care Choice Act of 2005". THOMAS. Archived from the original on 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
- Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce (June 28, 2005). "Hearing on H.R.2355". Archived from the original on January 31, 2008.
- Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce (June 28, 2005). "Hearing on H.R.2355 transcript" (PDF).
- Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce (June 28, 2005). "Hearing on H.R.2355 webcast". Archived from the original on January 31, 2008. (2:07:30)
- Committee on Energy and Commerce (February 16, 2006). "Report on H.R.2355" (PDF).
- DeMint, Jim (2005). "S.1015 The Health Care Choice Act of 2005". THOMAS. Archived from the original on 2008-11-26. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
- Shadegg, John (2007). "H.R.4460 The Health Care Choice Act of 2007". THOMAS. Archived from the original on 2008-11-28. Retrieved 2008-01-21.