State High Risk Pool Funding Extension Act of 2006
Public Law 109-172 · H.R. 4519 · 109th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Feb 10, 2006 · Health
Sponsor: Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ-3)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Ed Towns
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.
State High Risk Pool Funding Extension Act of 2006 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize funds for grants to each state that has not created a qualified high risk pool for the state's cost to create and initially operate such a pool.
Increases the maximum allowable premium charged under a qualified high risk pool to 200% of the premium for applicable standard risk rates. Defines "standard risk rate" as a rate that: (1) is determined under the state high risk pool by considering the premiums charged by other health insurers in the same market; (2) is established using reasonable actuarial techniques; and (3) reflects anticipated claims experience and expenses.
Permits grants awarded by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to states with existing qualified high risk pools to cover losses incurred by a state in connection with the operation of such a pool to be made to entities that operate such a pool under applicable state law. Changes the allocation of such grants to give 40% to eligible states equally, 30% based on the number of uninsured individuals in a state relative to all states, and 30% based on the number of enrollees in a state's qualified high risk pool relative to all states. (Currently, all funds are allotted based solely on the number of uninsured individuals in the state.)
Requires a state which charges premiums that exceed 150% of the premium for applicable standard risks to use at least 50% of the grant amount to reduce premiums for enrollees.
Limits the maximum grant amount allotted to territories.
Requires the Secretary to award grants to states with qualified high risk pools for the provision of supplemental consumer benefits, which must include one or more of the following benefits: (1) low-income premium subsidies; (2) a reduction in premium trends, actual premiums, or other cost-sharing requirements; (3) an expansion or broadening of the pool of individuals eligible for coverage; (4) less stringent rules or additional waiver authority with respect to coverage of preexisting conditions; (5) increased benefits; or (6) establishment of disease management programs. Limits to 10% of appropriated funds the amount that any state may be allotted.
Authorizes appropriations for FY2006-FY2010.
Sets forth reporting requirements.
Revises the definition of "qualified high risk pool" to allow a state to elect to meet the requirement to provide all eligible individuals with health insurance coverage by utilizing an acceptable alternative mechanism that includes a high risk pool as a component.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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.
Related bills
2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 3204Related bill
State High Risk Pool Funding Extension Act of 2005
S. 288Related bill
State High Risk Pool Funding Extension Act of 2005
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.
- Feb 10, 2006Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 109-172.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Feb 3, 2006FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Feb 2, 2006FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Feb 1, 2006FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- OtherOther · Cleared for White House.
- Jan 27, 2006CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Jan 3, 2006CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
- Dec 17, 2005FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4519.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Burgess moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate.
- Dec 13, 2005CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.