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H.R. 247

U.S. HouseIn House Committee

Summary

H.R. 247, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2025, was introduced in the House on Jan 9, 2025 by Rep. Lauren Underwood (D) with 165 co-sponsors. It was referred to Ways And Means, and last saw action on Jan 9, 2025: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.


Record

Text

H.R. 247 has 165 co-sponsors.

hb247/introduced-in-house.txt
119 HR 247 IH: Health Care Affordability Act of 2025
U.S. House of Representatives
2025-01-09
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 247 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 9, 2025 Ms. Underwood (for herself, Ms. Castor of Florida , Ms. Schakowsky , Ms. DeGette , Mr. Grijalva , Ms. Pettersen , Ms. Barragán , Mr. Panetta , Mr. Hoyer , Ms. Norton , Ms. Titus , Mr. Morelle , Mr. Tonko , Ms. Moore of Wisconsin , Ms. Stevens , Ms. DelBene , Ms. Hoyle of Oregon , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Ms. Budzinski , Mr. Pocan , Mr. Beyer , Mr. Horsford , and Mr. Amo ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand eligibility for the refundable credit for coverage under a qualified health plan.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Health Care Affordability Act of 2025 .
2.
Increase in eligibility for credit
(a)
In general
Subparagraph (A) of section 36B(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking but does not exceed 400 percent .
(b)
Applicable percentages
(1)
In general
Subparagraph (A) of section 36B(b)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as follows:
(A)
Applicable percentage
The applicable percentage for any taxable year shall be the percentage such that the applicable percentage for any taxpayer whose household income is within an income tier specified in the following table shall increase, on a sliding scale in a linear manner, from the initial premium percentage to the final premium percentage specified in such table for such income tier:
In the case of household income (expressed as a percent of poverty line) within the following income tier: The initial premium percentage is— The final premium percentage is— Up to 150 percent 0 0 150 percent up to 200 percent 0 2.0 200 percent up to 250 percent 2.0 4.0 250 percent up to 300 percent 4.0 6.0 300 percent up to 400 percent 6.0 8.5 400 percent and higher 8.5 8.5.
.
(2)
Conforming amendments relating to affordability of coverage
(A)
Paragraph (1) of section 36B(c) of such Code is amended by striking subparagraph (E).
(B)
Subparagraph (C) of section 36B(c)(2) of such Code is amended by striking clause (iv).
(C)
Paragraph (4) of section 36B(c) of such Code is amended by striking subparagraph (F).
(c)
Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-01-09
  2. Passed House
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Introduced in House Jan 9, 2025

hb247/introduced-in-house.md

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (01/09/2025)

Health Care Affordability Act of 2025

This bill makes permanent temporary changes enacted by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) that generally expand eligibility for and increase the amount of the premium tax credit.

Currently, eligible taxpayers may be able to claim the premium tax credit, which applies toward the cost of obtaining health insurance through health insurance exchanges. To be eligible for the premium tax credit, a taxpayer’s household income must meet or exceed 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and, after 2025, may not exceed 400% of the FPL (maximum income limit). For 2021-2025, the ARPA and IRA eliminated the maximum income limit, which generally expands eligibility for the premium tax credit.

Further, under current law, the amount of the premium tax credit is (1) generally the plan premium (conditions apply), minus (2) the taxpayer’s household income multiplied by the applicable percentage. The applicable percentage is a specific percentage that varies depending on which of six income ranges (adjusted for inflation after 2025) the taxpayer’s household income falls within. For 2021-2025, the ARPA and IRA lowered the applicable percentages and eliminated the adjustment of the applicable percentages for inflation, which generally increases the amount of the premium tax credit.

The bill makes permanent the elimination of the 400% maximum income limit, the lower applicable percentages, and the elimination of the inflation adjustment for the applicable percentages.

Sponsors

Rep. Lauren Underwood (D) sponsors H.R. 247, and 165 members have co-sponsored it, 22 of them from the day it was introduced.

Committees

H.R. 247 went before 1 committee: Ways and Means.

Ways and Means
Ways and Means
Referred To · Jan 9, 2025 · 1,160 Bills

Actions

H.R. 247 has taken 2 actions since Jan 9, 2025.

ChamberAction
Jan 9, 2025
House
Introduced in House
Jan 9, 2025
House
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.Ways and Means Committee

Votes

H.R. 247 has not gone to a roll call.

6 bills are related to H.R. 247.

Titles

H.R. 247 goes by 3 titles, 1 of them short titles.

  • Health Care Affordability Act of 2025 — Display Title
  • Health Care Affordability Act of 2025 — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand eligibility for the refundable credit for coverage under a qualified health plan. — Official Title as Introduced

Lobbying

44 clients hired 38 firms and 199 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 247 in 177 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Health Issues, Medicare/Medicaid, Budget/Appropriations, Taxation/Internal Revenue Code, Pharmacy, Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace, Education, Insurance.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill. The 20 that filed most often, of 44.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
HIGHMARK INCPennsylvania18
AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANSDistrict of Columbia16$540K
ASCENSION HEALTH ALLIANCEMissouri16$460K
NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR NURSINGNational health care associationDistrict of Columbia16$171K
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONERSNational professional association for pediatric nurse practitionersNew Jersey16$144K
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK INCDistrict of Columbia16
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATIONDistrict of Columbia16
AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS INC (AHIP)District of Columbia16
BLOOD CANCER UNITED (FKA THE LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY)District of Columbia16
CENTER ON BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIESDistrict of Columbia16
KAISER FOUNDATION HEALTH PLAN INCCalifornia16
NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESSVirginia16
THE CIGNA GROUP AND SUBSIDIARIES (FORMERLY CIGNA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES)District of Columbia16
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEESDistrict of Columbia15
CAMBIA HEALTH SOLUTIONSDistrict of Columbia15
FEDERATION OF AMERICAN HOSPITALSDistrict of Columbia15
SUSAN G. KOMENorganization addressing breast cancer through research, community health, public policyTexas14$160K
AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONDistrict of Columbia14
BCBSM INCMinnesota14
BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD ASSOCIATIONDistrict of Columbia14

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill. The 20 named most often, of 199.

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONAMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION2026 first_quarter$8M1st Quarter - Amendme…
AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONAMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION2026 first_quarter$8M1st Quarter - Report
AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONAMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION2025 fourth_quarter$5.5M4th Quarter - Report
AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS INC (AHIP)AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS, INC. (AHIP)2026 first_quarter$5.3M1st Quarter - Report
AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS INC (AHIP)AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS, INC. (AHIP)2025 first_quarter$4.8M1st Quarter - Report
AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONAMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION2025 third_quarter$4.6M3rd Quarter - Report
AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS INC (AHIP)AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS, INC. (AHIP)2025 third_quarter$4.2M3rd Quarter - Report
AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS INC (AHIP)AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS, INC. (AHIP)2025 fourth_quarter$4.1M4th Quarter - Report
AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS INC (AHIP)AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS, INC. (AHIP)2025 second_quarter$4.1M2nd Quarter - Report
THE CIGNA GROUP AND SUBSIDIARIES (FORMERLY CIGNA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES)THE CIGNA GROUP AND SUBSIDIARIES (FORMERLY CIGNA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES)2025 first_quarter$3.5M1st Quarter - Report
AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS INC (AHIP)AMERICA'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS, INC. (AHIP)2026 second_quarter$3M2nd Quarter - Report
KAISER FOUNDATION HEALTH PLAN INCKAISER FOUNDATION HEALTH PLAN INC.2025 first_quarter$3M1st Quarter - Report
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK INCAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK, INC.2025 second_quarter$2.6M2nd Quarter - Report
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK INCAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK, INC.2025 fourth_quarter$2.4M4th Quarter - Report
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK INCAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK, INC.2026 first_quarter$2.3M1st Quarter - Report
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK INCAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK, INC.2025 third_quarter$2.1M3rd Quarter - Report
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK INCAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK, INC.2025 first_quarter$2M1st Quarter - Report
THE CIGNA GROUP AND SUBSIDIARIES (FORMERLY CIGNA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES)THE CIGNA GROUP AND SUBSIDIARIES (FORMERLY CIGNA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES)2025 second_quarter$1.9M2nd Quarter - Amendme…
THE CIGNA GROUP AND SUBSIDIARIES (FORMERLY CIGNA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES)THE CIGNA GROUP AND SUBSIDIARIES (FORMERLY CIGNA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES)2025 second_quarter$1.9M2nd Quarter - Report
HEALTH CARE SERVICE CORPORATION, A MUTUAL LEGAL RESERVE COMPANY (HCSC)HEALTH CARE SERVICE CORPORATION, A MUTUAL LEGAL RESERVE COMPANY (HCSC)2025 first_quarter$1.9M1st Quarter - Report

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 247 under Taxation, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 3 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 247’s is Taxation.

hr247/policy-areas.txt
TaxationAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 247 carries 3 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Health care costs and insurance to Tax administration and collection, taxpayers.

hr247/subjects.txt
Health care costs and insuranceIncome tax creditsTax administration and collection, taxpayers

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 247, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 5 (Thursday, January 9, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Ms. UNDERWOOD:H.R. 247.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution[Page H92]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com