PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 17, 2009
Preexisting Condition Patient Protection Act of 2009 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit a group health plan from: (1) imposing any preexisting condition exclusion; or (2) providing for an affiliation period for coverage offered by a health maintenance organization (HMO). Defines an "affiliation period" as a period of time before health insurance coverage becomes effective.
Requires each health insurance issuer offering coverage in the group market in a state to accept every employer in the state that applies for such coverage.
Prohibits preexisting condition exclusions for individual health insurance coverage.
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Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the impact of this Act on health benefits coverage. Authorizes the Secretary to request claims data, enrollee data, and other appropriate information from group health plans and health insurance issuers.
Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the impact of this Act and other relevant federal laws on the reduction in the number of uninsured and underinsured individuals and on the affordability of coverage.
People & committees
Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2] · D–CT
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to House Education and Labor
Referred to House Ways and Means
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to House Energy and Commerce
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Mar 23, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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