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H.R. 4498: Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2004

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H.R. 4498: Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2004

108th Congress · introduced 2004-06-03 · Health · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2004-06-03 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2004

Plain summary

Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2004 - Directs the Office of Personnel Management to administer a separate health insurance program for non-Federal employees who are either self-employed or employees of a small business with fewer than 100 employees. Allows the Office to contract with carriers to provide health insurance under this Act. Requires rates charged to reasonably and equitably reflect the costs of the benefits provided. Permits rates and premiums to vary based on age but not on health status factors. Permits the Office to reimburse a carrier for costs that exceed premiums received by a specified percentage. Requires a carrier to make payments to a contingency reserve fund established by the Office if the carrier's costs are lower than expected by a specified percentage. Allows the Office to use such funds to provide assistance to carriers that experience unanticipated financial hardships. Requires the Office to establish a reinsurance fund to provide payments to carriers that experience a catastrophic claim (a claim over $50,000) for benefits provided to an individual enrolled under this Act. Allows a participating employer to offer supplemental coverage options to employees for excepted benefits that are not subject to the Public Health Service Act requirements for health plans. Authorizes the Office to contract with entities to administer this health program regionally. Allows certain benefits to be offered to Medicare beneficiaries. Requires the Office to implement a public education campaign regarding this health insurance program. Allows a refundable tax credit for health insurance expenses of small employers who pay a specific percentage of employee expenses under such a health plan.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act of 2004

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3] · 11 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong108-hr4498 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108