S. 2186 - Community Health Center Employee Health Coverage Act of 2007

S 2186

110th CONGRESS
1st Session

S. 2186

To permit individuals who are employees of a grantee that is receiving funds under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act to enroll in health insurance coverage provided under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

October 17, 2007

Mr. SMITH (for himself, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mr. SALAZAR, and Mr. SANDERS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Community Health Center Employee Health Coverage Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Federally Qualified Health Centers (referred to in this section as `FQHCs') are required under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) to be located in, and serve, a community that is designated as `medically underserved'.

(2) FQHCs are required under such section 330 to make its services available to all residents of the community, without regard to ability to pay, and to make those services affordable by discounting charges for otherwise uncovered care to low-income families in accordance with family income.

(3) FQHCs are required under such section 330 to provide comprehensive primary health care services, including preventive care, care for illness or injury, services which improve the accessibility of care, and the effectiveness of care.

(4) FQHCs are required under such section 330 to be governed by a board of directors, a majority of whose members are active, registered patients of the health center, thus ensuring that the center is responsive to the health care needs of the community it serves.

(5) FQHCs delivered comprehensive primary and preventive care to more than 16,000,000 people in 2006, more than 6,000,000 of whom had no health insurance coverage.

(6) FQHCs employ nearly 100,000 people across the United States.

(7) FQHCs are being challenged by increasing financial pressures that jeopardize their ability to provide health services to medically underserved populations, including the elderly, the uninsured, and lower-income individuals.

(8) Health insurance costs in the small employer market have risen more than 30 percent in the past 2 years, forcing many FQHCs to use additional Federal funding to continue to provide health insurance coverage for their employees.

(9) The Federal Government negotiates premiums with health insurance companies for millions of Federal employees, thereby ensuring the best possible rates under the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program (referred to in this section as `FEHBP').

(10) Last year FEHBP premiums increased 6.6 percent, far less than that of even large employers.

(11) FQHCs receive Federal grants from the Health Resource and Services Administration that help cover the cost of providing high quality, affordable health care for everyone in their communities, including the uninsured.

(12) FQHCs use a portion of their Federal grant to cover the cost of health insurance for their employees.

(13) As health insurance premiums rise, FQHCs may be forced to reduce health insurance coverage for their own employees, or reduce the availability of care in their communities.

(14) Last year, almost 1,400,000 Americans joined the ranks of the uninsured--bringing our Nation's total to more than 47,000,000 people without health insurance, while another 30,000,000 or more are underinsured.

(15) The uninsured are in significantly worse health than those with health insurance, receive fewer preventive services, are less likely to receive regular care for chronic diseases, and are more likely to be hospitalized for a condition that could have been treated more effectively with timely access to ambulatory care.

(16) Adding FQHC employees to the list of those covered under the FEHBP would help control rising health insurance costs, reduce the cost of providing health insurance to their employees, and enable centers to use scarce funds to continue providing care in their communities.

SEC. 3. ADDITION OF HEALTH CENTER EMPLOYEES TO FEHBP.

(a) Definitions- Section 8901(l) of title 5, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (H), by striking `and' at the end;

(2) in subparagraph (I), by striking the period and inserting `; and'; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

`(J) an individual who is an employee of a federally qualified health center (as defined in section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(l)(2)(B))) that has elected to offer coverage under this chapter or who is an employee of a grantee that is receiving funds under section 330(l) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(l)) that has elected to offer coverage under this chapter.'.

(b) Employees Health Benefits Fund- Section 8909 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(h) An individual who is an employee of a federally qualified health center (as defined in section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(l)(2)(B))) who has elected coverage under this chapter or who is an employee of a grantee that is receiving funds under section 330(l) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(l)) who has elected coverage under this chapter shall be required to pay currently into the Employees Health Benefits Fund, under arrangements satisfactory to the Office, an amount equal to the sum of--

`(1) the employee and agency contributions which would be required in the case of an employee enrolled in the same health benefits plan and level of benefits; and

`(2) an amount, determined under regulations prescribed by the Office, necessary for administrative expenses, but not to exceed 2 percent of the total amount under clause (i).'.

END