Paul Broun’s Patient Option Act

H.R. 2900, the Patient OPTION Act  By Rep. Paul C. Broun, M.D. (GA-10)

Section-by-Section Summary

Title I: Repeal of PPACA and HCERA

Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.

Title II: Health Care Tax Reform

Repeals the requirement that HSAs be tied to High Deductible Health Plans.

Increases the contribution limit for HSAs to $10,000/year for individuals and $20,000/year for families.
Allows HSAs to be used by Medicare-eligible individuals.
Repeals the additional penalty for withdrawing HSA funds for non-medical purposes.

Makes all health care expenses fully deductible, including the cost of health insurance (Sections 206-208).

Establishes tax credits for physicians who provide charitable care to indigent patients and donors who make contributions for the purposes of indigent care.
Allows individuals to make charitable donations from their HSAs.

Title III: Medicare Premium Assistance Program

Replaces Medicare with a premium assistance program beginning the first January 1 after the date of enactment.

Allows for Medicare-eligible individuals to opt out of Medicare if they choose not to be enrolled.
Phases out the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and transfers its functions to the Treasury.

Title IV: EMTALA Reforms

Allows for the application of triage (by a qualified medical screener) in admitting individuals to emergency rooms, such that a hospital may limit emergency room admissions only to those with defined “emergency medical conditions.”

Title V: Cooperative Governing of Individual and Group Health Insurance Coverage

Allows for individuals and groups (including associations established within a certain state) to purchase health insurance across state lines.
Re-states the authority of state governments to set up Association Health Plans.

Title VI: State Health Flexibility

Transitions Medicaid and the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program to block grants to be paid directly to the states.

Comments:

This plan allows market controls to reenter the healthcare market and is a good start in removing unconstitutional functions from the federal government.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader