Van Hollen, Bera Reintroduce Bill to Make it Easier to Sign Up for Health Insurance as Republicans Plan to Slash Coverage for Millions
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representative Ami Bera (D-Calif.) reintroduced the Easy Enrollment in Health Care Act, legislation to simplify the process of enrolling in health coverage by offering Americans the option to do so on their federal income tax returns. The legislation is modeled on a successful program implemented in Maryland in 2020 that has helped nearly 14,000 residents enroll in marketplace plans or Medicaid.
Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Bera reintroduced this legislation to expand access to care as Senate Republicans consider Trump’s “One Big Beautiful bill” which would slash health insurance for millions of Americans by cutting Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. According to an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the House-passed Republican bill would take away Medicaid and ACA health insurance from at least 10.9 million Americans – including over 229,000 people in Maryland. On top of that, an additional 5.1 million Americans are estimated to lose coverage if Republicans’ refuse to extend the enhanced ACA premium tax credits extended through the Inflation Reduction Act and if the Administration moves forward with a proposed rule to undermine the ACA marketplace.
“Instead of working to increase Americans’ access to health care and lower everyday costs, Republicans are trying to gut Medicaid, the ACA, and other vital services in order to provide a massive tax giveaway to the ultra-rich. Their bill will kick millions of people off their insurance. Americans deserve better. That’s why I’m fighting back against Republicans’ harmful cuts and working to streamline the enrollment process to make it easier for all Americans to get health insurance,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“As a doctor, I’ve seen just how confusing it can be for Americans to sign up for health care coverage,” said Representative Ami Bera, M.D. “That’s why I’m proud to reintroduce the Easy Enrollment in Health Care Act with Senator Van Hollen to make the process as simple as checking a box on your tax return. This bill will help millions of Americans access the affordable, high-quality coverage they’re already eligible for. While Republicans push legislation that would take health care away from millions of Americans, we’re putting forward a commonsense solution to expand coverage and close the enrollment gap.”
This legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
“Access to health care seems to be a foreign concept to Republicans. We know that better access means families don’t need to wait to go to the doctor until it’s too late, cancers get caught early, mothers don’t have to die during childbirth, and children can get the care they need to live healthy, full lives. I would hope every elected leader would fight tooth and nail to expand access so that every American, Democrat or Republican, can get the care they need,” said Senator Alsobrooks.
Text of the legislation is available here.
Approximately 27.1 million Americans are uninsured, millions of whom are eligible for programs like Medicaid, CHIP, and ACA Advance Premium Tax Credits – but still aren’t covered.
Under this bill, Americans would be able to check a box on their federal income tax returns that would connect them with available health care programs in their state. By checking the box, the IRS would be authorized to share the data they already have on file with the individual’s state health care marketplace exchange. A menu of options would then be sent back to the individual in a formal letter – at which point that person could either chose to opt-in to a specific program or remain uninsured if they choose. Individuals would have a 60-day special enrollment window to make their choice, and those who are eligible for a zero-premium plan who neither select a program nor opt out would be paired automatically with the program that provides the highest coverage with no premiums.
This type of tax filing system could reach the millions of uninsured Americans who are unable to access health programs they are eligible for. By checking the box, these same families could see whether they qualify and then enroll. This legislation brings health care information directly to people who need it most – and makes it easier than ever to sign up.
The bill is supported by the American Heart Association, Maryland Health Care For All Coalition, First Focus Campaign for Children, Families USA, Third Way, American Academy for Pediatrics, and UnidosUS.
“The Maryland Health Care For All Coalition commends Senator Chris Van Hollen for his leadership in proposing a national Easy Enrollment program,” said Vincent DeMarco, President of the Maryland Health Care For All Coalition. “Since 2019, tens of thousands of Marylanders have gotten health care coverage through the Maryland Easy Enrollment programs, and almost a dozen other states have followed our lead. We urge the United States Congress to make all Americans eligible for this easy to use way to obtain critically needed health care converge.”
“Access to affordable, quality health care – no matter who you are or where you live – is essential to preventing and treating cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association is pleased to support the Easy Enrollment in Health Care Act and appreciates Sen. Van Hollen for working to simplify the enrollment process for those who remain uninsured,” said Mark Schoeberl, Executive Vice President of Advocacy, American Heart Association.
“First Focus Campaign for Children strongly supports the reintroduction of the Easy Enrollment in Health Care Act by Senator Van Hollen. By simplifying the process of connecting families to health care coverage through utilizing the tax return process, remarkable progress has already been made in states like Maryland, California, and New Mexico—where more children and their families are getting the health care they need. In stark contrast, budget reconciliation legislation currently moving through Congress would impose new barriers to accessing health care coverage, making it harder and more expensive for families to access health care for their children. While an easy enrollment process helps children more easily access the care that they need by removing administrative obstacles, the current direction in Congress threatens to leave millions of children and families uninsured by adding paperwork, shortening enrollment periods, and tightening eligibility checks. We urge Congress to reject the harmful cuts included in the reconciliation package and instead embrace policies like the Easy Enrollment in Health Care Act to make health care coverage easier, not harder, for children and families,” said Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus Campaign for Children.
“This bill couldn’t come at a more critical time, as families across the country are looking to policymakers to make health care more accessible and affordable—not to rip away coverage and make it harder to enroll. This bill creates meaningful efficiencies in our health system and would genuinely strengthen the Medicaid program, bringing the best ideas from states like Maryland and health policy experts from across the political spectrum to ensure that people who qualify for health coverage can enroll in it without having to slog through layers of red tape and delays. Under this proposal, uninsured taxpayers would learn about their eligibility for assistance and be given the chance to be enrolled in coverage automatically, simply by checking a consent box on their tax return. This is the kind of commonsense policy reform that Congress should be pursuing on behalf of the American people who elected them to make life better and more affordable for their families,” said Jennifer Taylor, Senior Director of Government Relations, Families USA.