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To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to limit eligibility for the premium tax credit to individuals enrolled in qualified health plans offered by health insurance issuers that offer at least one qualified health plan which provides the option to make monthly cost-sharing payments, and for other purposes.
Summary
- Limits eligibility for the premium tax credit to individuals enrolled in qualified health plans offered by health insurance issuers that offer monthly cost-sharing payment options.
- Requires health insurance issuers to offer at least one qualified health plan with the option to pay cost-sharing monthly in capped amounts in order for their plans to qualify for the premium tax credit.
- Allows individuals to elect to pay zero cost-sharing at the time of service or to pay cost-sharing in monthly amounts with caps similar to Medicare Part D copayment caps.
- Applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Bean, Aaron [R-FL-4] (R-FL)
1 cosponsor
- Rep. Alford, Mark [R-MO-4] (R-MO)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Aaron Bean’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- BAPTIST HEALTH $9,500
- SHIELD PROPERTIES INC. $8,300
- APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT $7,800
- THE MAYERNICK GROUP $7,000
- PET PARADISE RESORT $6,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Aaron Bean → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Jun 25, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. · house
- Jun 25, 2026 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 25, 2026
Mr. Bean of Florida (for himself and Mr. Alford) 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 limit eligibility for the premium tax credit to individuals enrolled in qualified health plans offered by health insurance issuers that offer at least one qualified health plan which provides the option to make monthly cost-sharing payments, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Simplified Medical Out-of-pocket Obligations Through Hassle-free Payments Act” or the “SMOOTH Payments Act”.
SEC. 2. SMOOTHING OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS FOR QUALIFIED HEALTH PLAN ENROLLEES.
(a) In General.—Section 36B(c)(3)(A)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking “shall not include a qualified health plan which is a catastrophic plan described in section 1302(e) of such Act.” and inserting “shall not include—
“(I) any qualified health plan which is a catastrophic plan described in section 1302(e) of such Act, or
“(II) any qualified health plan offered by a health insurance issuer that does not offer at least one qualified health plan which provides to each individual enrolled in such plan the option to elect to— “(aa) pay $0 in cost- sharing at the time that such individual is furnished an item or service for which benefits are available under the plan, and “(bb) pay cost-sharing under the plan in monthly amounts which are capped in a manner similar to the manner provided in subparagraph (E) of section 1860D-2(b)(2) of the Social Security Act, or in any other manner prescribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.”.
(b) Effective Date.—The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026. <all>
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