The Healthy Competition for Better Care Act would ban restrictive contract terms between health insurers and healthcare providers that prevent patients from accessing lower-cost or higher-quality care. Specifically, the bill prohibits insurers from agreeing to contract clauses that prevent them from steering patients to other providers, offering incentives to use specific providers, or that require them to contract with a provider's affiliates as a condition of doing business. The legislation applies to all group health plans and individual health insurance coverage, with limited exceptions for certain health maintenance organizations and value-based care arrangements like accountable care organizations. Health insurers would be required to submit annual attestations confirming compliance with these rules. The bill takes effect 18 months after enactment for new contracts, and existing contracts would have until their renewal date or 3 years after enactment to come into compliance, with federal agencies given one year to develop implementing regulations.
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