Federal Employees Health Care Protection Act of 1998
Public Law 105-266 · H.R. 1836 · 105th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 19, 1998 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-6)
Cosponsors (27): Rep. John Mica, Rep. John Sununu,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Federal Employees Health Care Protection Act of 1998 - Amends Federal law concerning Government organization and employees to revise provisions regarding the debarment of any health care provider found to have engaged in fraudulent practices, including requiring (currently, permitting) debarment for certain fraudulent practices.
(Sec. 3) Makes amendments relating to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) which: (1) modify the definition of a carrier; (2) specify that the Government-wide service plan may be underwritten by participating affiliates licensed in each State; and (3) revise preemption provisions.
(Sec. 4) Extends FEHBP coverage to certain employees of the: (1) Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; and (2) Federal Reserve Board.
(Sec. 5) Requires the Office of Personnel Management to encourage carriers that enter into contractual arrangements made with any person to obtain discounts from providers for health care services or supplies to seek assurance that the conditions for such discounts are fully disclosed to the providers who grant them.
(Sec. 6) Amends Federal law to set forth provisions for: (1) the readmission of certain plans that have discontinued their participation in FEHBP; and (2) the treatment of the contingency reserves of such discontinued plans.
(Sec. 7) Increases the maximum annual comparability allowance payable under a service agreement to a Government physician who has served as such a physician for more than 24 months. Allows for the modification of existing service agreements based on the increase with respect to any period of service remaining in such agreements.
(Sec. 8) Permits a health benefits plan to provide direct access or direct payment or reimbursement to specified licensed health care providers.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Oversight and Accountability Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Civil Service and Agency Organization Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.
- Oct 19, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-266.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 8, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 5, 1998Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mrs. Morella moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments.
- Sep 30, 1998FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 21, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Apr 1, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Nov 5, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Nov 4, 1997FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Cummings objected to the Yea - Nay vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Mica moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- Oct 31, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- Oct 22, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Civil Service and Agency Organization Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Civil Service and Agency Organization Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- Jun 11, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Civil Service and Agency Organization Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- Jun 10, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.