# 119-hr-9798: Employer Health Plan Flexibility Act

119-hr-9798, Employer Health Plan Flexibility Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12] (R-GA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-31).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9798
- As of: 2026-07-31
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-9798
- Congress: 119
- Title: Employer Health Plan Flexibility Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-07-21
- Sponsor: Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12] (R-GA)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-07-31

## Summary

**Exempts employer-sponsored ERISA group health plans from the Affordable Care Act's Essential Health Benefits requirement.** It would also require annual participant notices about which benefits are covered and direct the Department of Health and Human Services to update regulations to reflect the exemption. - Workers and families: Plans governed by ERISA could omit some Essential Health Benefits, so enrollees must check yearly notices that list excluded benefits and explain cost sharing. - Employers: Would gain flexibility to design ERISA group health plans without meeting ACA Essential Health Benefits rules. The change would apply to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2028. - Federal rules and regulators: The Secretary of Health and Human Services must revise regulations, while existing federal protections such as HIPAA portability, nondiscrimination rules, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, COBRA, ERISA fiduciary duties, and applicable Internal Revenue Code requirements remain in place.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Employers could drop ACA benefits: mixed, high. If enacted, employer-sponsored group health plans governed by ERISA would not have to provide the ACA's Essential Health Benefits. The Secretary of Health and Human Services would revise regulations to reflect the exemption. The change would apply to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2028…
- Employers may still offer ACA benefits: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would say nothing in it prohibits an employer from voluntarily providing some or all ACA Essential Health Benefits. The bill would also say it does not alter ERISA preemption or change state regulation of health insurance issuers except where the bill expressly provides. These…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-4317: PBM Reform Act of 2025
- 119-hr-833: Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2345: Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve Establishment Act
- 119-hr-9535: Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026
- 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act
- 119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-9798 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9798)

## Related
- [119-hr-4317: PBM Reform Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4317)
- [119-hr-833: Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-833)
- [119-hr-2345: Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve Establishment Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2345)
- [119-hr-9535: Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9535)
- [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262)
- [119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-21)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9798 (as of 2026-07-31).