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H.R. 5955: Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2008

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H.R. 5955: Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2008

110th Congress · introduced 2008-05-01 · Health · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2008-05-01 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Walberg, Timothy [R-MI-7] · 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 Health. 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

Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2008

Plain summary

Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to allow individual taxpayers a refundable tax credit for health insurance costs paid. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for establishment and governance of association health plans (AHPs), which are group health plans whose sponsors are trade, industry, professional, chamber of commerce, or similar business associations and which meet certain ERISA certification requirements. Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide that the laws of the state designated by a health insurance issuer (primary state) shall apply to individual health insurance coverage offered by that issuer in the primary state and in any other state (secondary state), but only if the coverage and issuer comply with certain requirements. Promoting Health for Future Generations Act of 2008 - Amends the IRC to to revise provisions related to health savings accounts (HSAs), high deductible health plans, and medical savings accounts (MSAs), including to: (1) increase the tax deduction for contributions to HSAs; (2) allow a new tax deduction for high deductible health plan premiums; and (3) allow individual contributions to a Medicare Advantage MSA. Increased Access to Health Insurance Act of 2008 - Amends the IRC to permit the use of HSAs to purchase health insurance. Sets forth conditions for lawsuits arising from health care liability claims regarding health care goods or services or any medical product affecting interstate commerce, including: (1) a statute of limitations of three years after the date of manifestation of injury or one year after the claimant discovers the injury, with certain exceptions; and (2) limits on noneconomic and punitive damages. Sets forth provisions related to health information technology. Provides for health record banks. Creates safe harbors from civil and criminal penalties in current anti-kickback laws for providing certain health information technology and training services.

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

Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2008

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. Walberg, Timothy [R-MI-7] · 14 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Walberg, Timothy [R-MI-7] reported raising $2.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Statute
A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr5955 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110