Stop COVID–19 Test Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020
Latest action · Sep 29, 2020 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedSep 29, 2020
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Stop COVID-19 Test Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020
This bill modifies provisions requiring health insurance plans to cover COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) diagnostic testing services at no cost, without prior authorization, and without medical management requirements. The bill specifies that a plan may not make determinations about the circumstances surrounding individuals' tests, such as why they sought testing or whether they showed symptoms of COVID-19. The bill also specifies that plans may encourage individuals to obtain tests from lower priced providers as long as such efforts do not delay, or impede access to, testing.
The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to survey and report on the cash prices of testing services and the compliance of providers with the requirement to publish such prices.
Additionally, HHS, jointly with the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Labor, must issue guidance clarifying the process for submitting claims for testing services.
Cosponsors
Members who signed on, in the order they did.
Committees 3
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Energy and Commerce Committee | Referred Sep 29, 2020 |
| House | Ways and Means Committee | Referred Sep 29, 2020 |
| House | Education and Workforce Committee | Referred Sep 29, 2020 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Sep 29, 2020Introduced in House
- Sep 29, 2020Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 169, September 29, 2020, page H5053.
Related bills 2
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 533 | Stop COVID–19 Test Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2021 | Reintroduced Bill | Feb 2, 2021 |
| S 4745 | Stop COVID–19 Test Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020 | Identical bill | Sep 29, 2020 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To prevent surprise medical bills with respect to COVID-19 testing.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Stop COVID–19 Test Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Health.
- Cardiovascular and respiratory health
- Emergency medical services and trauma care
- Employee benefits and pensions
- Government information and archives
- Government studies and investigations
- Health
- Health care costs and insurance
- Health care coverage and access
- Infectious and parasitic diseases
- Medical tests and diagnostic methods
- Medicare
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Sep 29, 2020Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
