Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits Tax Relief Act This bill excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, up to $10,200 of unemployment compensation received by an individual in a taxable year beginning in 2020.
Personalized Care Act of 2021 This bill revises provisions relating to health savings accounts (HSAs), including to redefine eligible individual for HSA purposes to allow increased participation in HSAs, increase the limit on contributions to HSAs, permit the payment of health insurance premiums from HSAs, include within the definition of qualified medical expenses periodic fees paid for medical services and amounts paid by a member of a health care sharing ministry, treat periodic provider fees as deductible medical expenses, and lower the 20% penalty for nonqualified distributions from HSAs to 10%.
Public Health Emergency Privacy Act This bill imposes privacy, confidentiality, and security requirements on the use and disclosure of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency health data. This is data that is linked to an individual or device, such as test results. The requirements apply to organizations that collect, use, or disclose emergency health data electronically or that manage websites or applications for contact tracing and other COVID-19 response activities. These organizations must provide notice of privacy and other policies. They must also ensure the accuracy of, prevent discrimination based on, and limit disclosure of the data. If an organization collects data from at least 100,000 individuals, it must publicly report additional information about how it uses and discloses the data. Furthermore, the bill prohibits the use of emergency health data for commercial advertising or in ways that restrict access to opportunities, services, and other accommodations. It also prohibits government entities and organizations from using this data to infringe on the right to vote. The Department of Health and Human Services must report on the civil rights impact of the collection, use, and disclosure of health data. The bill provides for enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission, states, and a private right of action. It further specifies that certain dispute resolution mechanisms, such as arbitration, are unenforceable with respect to disputes arising under the bill.
Safe Responsible Ethical Scientific Endeavors Assuring Research for Compassionate Healthcare Act or the Safe RESEARCH Act This bill prohibits the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from conducting or supporting research on human fetal tissue obtained from an abortion procedure. It also imposes other restrictions on human fetal tissue research. Under the bill, the NIH may conduct or support research on human fetal tissue only if it was obtained from a stillbirth. Current law allows research on tissue from stillbirths or from spontaneous or induced abortions. The bill also applies informed consent and other requirements applicable to research on the transplantation of human fetal tissue for therapeutic purposes to all research with human fetal tissue. This includes research on stem cells and other human fetal tissue alternatives. Additionally, human fetal tissue used for this research must be obtained in accordance with state anatomical gift laws. These laws govern organ and tissue donation for therapeutic, research, and other purposes. Some states already apply anatomical gift laws to human fetal tissue donation. Currently, executive branch officials may not prohibit the NIH from conducting or supporting research on the transplantation of human fetal tissue for therapeutic purposes. The bill repeals this limitation on executive branch officials. It also repeals a requirement that the NIH fund certain proposals for this research.
Energy Debt Relief for American Families Act This bill authorizes supplemental funding to states through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to assist eligible households pay 100% of any utility bills they are unable to pay because of economic distress caused by the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.
Ensuring Accurate and Complete Abortion Data Reporting Act of 2021 This bill requires states, as a condition of federal payment under Medicaid for family planning services, to report certain abortion data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Currently, reporting is voluntary.) The CDC must develop standardized questions for states with respect to specified variables (e.g., maternal demographics and methods of abortion).
Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021 This bill requires private health insurance plans to provide a 30-day special enrollment period for eligible individuals after a public health emergency is declared. An employee who is eligible but not enrolled may enroll in an employer-provided group health plan during the special enrollment period.
Second Chance at Life Act of 2021 This bill requires abortion providers to disclose information about the possibility of reversing a medication abortion. This is a procedure that uses a medication regimen to terminate a pregnancy, typically with a two-drug protocol. Providers must inform patients that it may be possible to reverse the effects of a medication abortion after taking the first drug. They must also let patients know that more information and assistance is available on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website. At least 24 hours before the procedure, the provider must share this information with the patient in person or by telephone. The provider must also include the information in written discharge instructions after the first drug is dispensed. The bill sets out an exception to these notification requirements when an abortion is necessary to resolve a physical injury or condition that threatens the life of the woman. The provider must document the circumstances giving rise to the exception in the patient's medical file. Furthermore, providers must post signs with this information in their offices or facilities, and HHS must maintain information about reversing medication abortions on its website.
Advancing Connectivity during the Coronavirus to Ensure Support for Seniors Act or the ACCESS Act This bill provides funding to increase access to telehealth services and virtual visits in skilled and other nursing facilities during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency. The bill designates the funding as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits. Specifically, the bill provides additional funding for FY2021, to remain available through FY2022, to the Telehealth Resource Center Program to address barriers to telehealth faced by skilled and other nursing facilities. The Office for the Advancement of Telehealth within the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy in the Health Resources and Services Administration manages this program. In addition, the bill provides funding for FY2021, to remain available through one month after the emergency period ends, to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for grants to nursing facilities to support virtual visits for residents during the COVID-19 emergency. HHS must develop relevant guidance for these grants within 15 days. HHS must also coordinate with the Federal Communications Commission to ensure grantees have access to telecommunications and broadband services.
Dignity for Aborted Children Act This bill sets out requirements for the disposition of human fetal tissue from an abortion. Specifically, it requires abortion providers to obtain a patient's informed consent for one of two specified methods of disposition. First, patients may choose to retain possession of the tissue. A patient may choose to transfer the tissue to an entity that provides interment or cremation services. Second, in cases where the tissue is expelled on the provider’s premises, the patient may elect to release the tissue to the provider. Providers must ensure any tissue released to them is interred or cremated within seven days of the procedure in a manner consistent with state law regarding the disposal of human remains. Abortion providers must report annually about these requirements and other specified information. The bill provides civil or criminal penalties for violations of disposal, informed consent, and reporting requirements.
Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2021 This bill restricts federal funding for Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. or any of its affiliates or clinics for one year. Specifically, it prohibits funding those entities unless they certify that the affiliates and clinics will not perform, and will not provide funds to entities that perform, abortions during that year. If the certification requirement is not met, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture must recoup any federal assistance received by those entities. However, the bill's funding restriction does not apply to abortions performed in cases of rape or incest or when necessary to resolve a physical condition that endangers a woman's life. The bill also provides additional funding for community health centers for the one-year period. These funds are subject to the same abortion-related restrictions and exceptions.
Emergency Water is a Human Right Act This bill creates a grant program, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, to provide funds to states and Indian tribes to assist low-income households that pay a high proportion of household income for drinking water and wastewater services. Further, any entity receiving financial assistance under this grant program must ensure that no home energy service or public water system service is or remains disconnected or interrupted during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
