H.R. 1578: To amend section 1101 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide additional funds to permit additional individuals to enroll under the preexisting condition insurance program and expand eligibility, to be funded through a temporary increase in the cigarette tax, and for other purposes.

H.R. 1578: To amend section 1101 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide additional funds to permit additional individuals to enroll under the preexisting condition insurance program and expand eligibility, to be funded through a temporary increase in the cigarette tax, and for other purposes.

113th Congress · introduced 2013-04-16 · Health · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-04-16 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. 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

To amend section 1101 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide additional funds to permit additional individuals to enroll under the preexisting condition insurance program and expand eligibility, to be funded through a temporary increase in the cigarette tax, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to: (1) direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to resume taking applications for participation in the temporary high-risk insurance program under such Act and to provide additional funding for such purpose, and (2) eliminate the six-month waiting period for program applicants previously covered under creditable health care coverage. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the rate of the excise tax on small cigarettes to $52.33 per thousand for the period between 2014 and 2024.

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

To amend section 1101 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide additional funds to permit additional individuals to enroll under the preexisting condition insurance program and expand eligibility, to be funded through a temporary increase in the cigarette tax, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6] · 10 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Paul Tonko (D-NY), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Doris O. Matsui (D-CA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6] reported raising $2.8 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.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113hr1578.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/hr>

Record fed-us-cong113-hr1578 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113