H.R. 986: Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-02-06 · Health · Latest: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 90.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-02-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: 6 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 191 (2019): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR986 (2019-05-09), Agreed to. See all
Where it stands now: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 90. 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

Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019

Plain summary

Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019 (Sec. 3) This bill nullifies guidance from the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Health and Human Services titled State Relief and Empowerment Waivers , published on October 24, 2018. The guidance pertains to Section 1332 waivers (also known as State Innovation Waivers or State Relief and Empowerment Waivers), which allow states to forego certain requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in order to implement experimental plans for health care coverage, as long as the resulting coverage meets certain statutory criteria. The guidance, which supersedes earlier guidance from 2015, alters agency interpretation of how states may satisfy the statutory criteria for waiver approval. For example, the guidance (1) redefines acceptable coverage under such waivers to include short-term, limited-duration insurance and association health plans; (2) allows the comprehensiveness and affordability of coverage under such waivers to be assessed based on projected availability, rather than enrollment; and (3) allows the level of coverage to be assessed based on the effects over the entire course of the waiver, rather than per year. (Sec. 4) The Government Accountability Office must report on the number of individuals that would have been expected to lose access to health insurance coverage, as well as the expected effect on mental health care treatment, in the absence of this bill.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed 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

Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2] · 19 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 986, Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019 (2019-04-29)

Cosponsors on this site

Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Peter Welch (D-VT), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Jared F. Golden (D-ME), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Doris O. Matsui (D-CA), Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN)

Recorded votes

House roll call 191 (2019): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR986 (2019-05-09): Agreed to
House roll call 192 (2019): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR986 (2019-05-09): Failed
House roll call 193 (2019): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR986 (2019-05-09): Agreed to
House roll call 194 (2019): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR986 (2019-05-09): Agreed to
House roll call 195 (2019): On Motion to Recommit with Instructions, HR986 (2019-05-09): Failed
House roll call 196 (2019): On Passage, HR986 (2019-05-09): Passed

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
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

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr986.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr986 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116