S. 3821

Affordable Health Care Options Act of 2020

This bill provides statutory authority for the rule by the Department of Treasury, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services regarding short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans.

Short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans are plans that may only offer coverage for a limited amount of time under law and that are exempt from the market requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (e.g., coverage of individuals with preexisting conditions). The rule increases the maximum authorized duration of such plans from less than 3 months (including renewals) to an initial maximum duration of less than 12 months (with a total duration of up to 36 months, including renewals). The rule took effect October 2, 2018.

The bill includes in the definition of such plans those with a renewal guarantee provision that permits a policyholder to pay for the option to purchase a future policy with a specified premium rate at the time of initial enrollment.