H.R. 1549: Helping Sick Americans Now Act

113th Congress · introduced 2013-04-15 · Health · Latest: Rule H. Res. 175 passed House.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-04-15 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Pitts, Joseph R. [R-PA-16] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Rule H. Res. 175 passed House. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Helping Sick Americans Now Act

Plain summary

Helping Sick Americans Now Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to transfer from the Prevention and Public Health Fund any unobligated funds which are attributable to FY2013 and any funds that would otherwise be made available to the Fund for FY2014-FY2016 to a Department of Health and Human Services account to carry out the temporary high risk health insurance pool program (a program to provide health insurance coverage to eligible individuals with a preexisting condition). Requires such funds to be available for obligation on the date of enactment of this Act and to remain available through December 31, 2013. Eliminates the eligibility requirement for the temporary high risk pool which prohibits an individual from having creditable coverage (health coverage) for six months before applying for coverage through the pool. Requires the Secretary to administer the temporary high risk pool in accordance with current regulations governing the operation of the pool, except as necessary to reflect amendments made by this Act.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s)), 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

Helping Sick Americans Now Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Pitts, Joseph R. [R-PA-16] · 16 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Ann Wagner (R-MO), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Robert E. Latta (R-OH), Pete Sessions (R-TX)

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)

Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113hr1549.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/hr>

Record fed-us-cong113-hr1549 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113