State Leadership in Health Care Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 6, 2013

State Leadership in Health Care Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to allow states to apply for a waiver of specified requirements under PPACA with respect to health insurance coverage within that state due to implementation of a state plan that provides comparable coverage for plan years beginning in 2015 (currently, 2017). Permits the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) or the Secretary of the Treasury to deny waivers only if: (1) the state plan does not meet requirements for granting a waiver, (2) the Secretary of HHS or the Treasury notifies the state in writing of the requirements that the state plan did not meet and provides the state with information used in making such a determination, and (3) the state is given an opportunity to appeal.

Requires the Secretary of HHS or the Treasury to reconsider the determination in the event of an appeal and issue a written decision within 60 days.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · I–VT

Committees

Finance Committee

1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

May 6, 2013
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
May 6, 2013
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · May 6, 2013 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HR 1841 · State Leadership in Health Care Act

Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.858 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.858, 113th Congress: State Leadership in Health Care Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/858

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-05-06.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s858/BILLS-113s858is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T19:51:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.858 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.858 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.858, 113th Congress: State Leadership in Health Care Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/858

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-05-06.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s858/BILLS-113s858is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T19:51:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.858 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.858 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.858, 113th Congress: State Leadership in Health Care Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/858

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-05-06.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s858/BILLS-113s858is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T19:51:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.858 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.858 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.858, 113th Congress: State Leadership in Health Care Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/858

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2013-05-06.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s858/BILLS-113s858is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T19:51:20Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.858 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.