A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Healthcare Freedom and Fairness Act aims to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. It seeks to allow "health marketplace pools" to be treated as an employer for the purpose of offering group health plans or group health insurance coverage. These pools must be formed in good faith to create a risk pool and cannot condition membership based on health status. The bill allows these pools to offer coverage that includes drugs as the only benefit. Additionally, it clarifies that participating in these pools does not create an employer or joint employer relationship.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +5
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The bill's prohibition on using health status-related factors to condition membership protects individuals with pre-existing conditions.
- Scored +5
Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities?
The bill prohibits conditioning membership in a health marketplace pool on any health status-related factor.
- Scored +4
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill increases healthcare access by creating more options for group health plans through marketplace pools.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Access to Specialized Coverage: The bill allows health marketplace pools to offer drug coverage, including over-the-counter drugs, as the only benefit offered by the plan or coverage (Section 736(b)(5)(B)).
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Protection Against Health-Based Discrimination: Membership in a health marketplace pool cannot be conditioned on any health status-related factor, such as an individual's health status (Section 736(b)(1)(B)).
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Flexibility in Enrollment: Individuals or their employers may enroll in coverage offered by the health marketplace pool (Section 736(b)(6)(A)).
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Expanded Group Options: The bill allows for the establishment of more than one health marketplace pool in a single geographic area (Section 736(b)(3)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Limited Coverage Scope: While the bill allows for drug coverage, it notes that a health insurance issuer or group health plan may still exclude or limit coverage on any individual, subject to specific requirements (Section 736(b)(2)(B)(ii)).
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Underwriting and Service Limits: Health insurance issuers or group health plans are not required to provide coverage outside of their specific service area (Section 736(b)(2)(B)(ii)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill increases healthcare access by creating more options for group health plans through marketplace pools. Does this lower the price of prescription medicines? — The bill allows marketplace pools to offer coverage specifically for prescription and nonprescription drugs as a primary benefit. Does this strengthen the Affordable Care Act? — The bill expands the types of group health plans available by allowing marketplace pools to offer drug-only coverage.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill's prohibition on using health status-related factors to condition membership protects individuals with pre-existing conditions. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill provides more flexible options for group health coverage which may benefit lower-income individuals seeking specific drug coverage.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill prohibits conditioning membership in a health marketplace pool on any health status-related factor.
- 5/29/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Introduced in House
3 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.