Bill · H.R. 9455· House(119-HR-9455)
SMOOTH Payments Act
- Introduced
- 6/25/2026
- Last activity
- 6/25/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Sponsored by
- Aaron Bean
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "SMOOTH Payments Act," proposes to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. It seeks to change the eligibility requirements for the premium tax credit. Under this proposal, the credit would be limited for individuals enrolled in certain qualified health plans. Specifically, it targets plans offered by issuers that do not provide options for monthly cost-sharing payments. The changes would take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026.
Yes
No question was scored yes.
The opposite
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?-4
The bill limits the premium tax credit for certain types of health plans, which could impact lower-income coverage.
Does this strengthen the Affordable Care Act?-3
The bill reduces the scope of the premium tax credit by excluding certain health plans from eligibility.
Would middle-income households be better off under this?-2
The bill limits the availability of premium tax credits for specific health plan options used by middle-income earners.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Monthly Cost-Sharing Options: The bill aims to ensure individuals have the option to pay their cost-sharing through monthly amounts instead of at the time of service. This is addressed in Section 2(a)(II)(bb), which discusses capped monthly cost-sharing payments.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Limited Premium Tax Credit Eligibility: The bill would limit the premium tax credit for individuals enrolled in qualified health plans if the issuer does not offer specific monthly cost-sharing options. This is detailed in Section 2(a)(II), which states that the credit shall not include plans offered by issuers that fail to provide certain payment options.
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Exclusion of Catastrophic Plans: The bill maintains or clarifies that the premium tax credit does not include any qualified health plan that is a catastrophic plan. This is found in Section 2(a)(I).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households-4Good For Middle Class Households-2
- Healthcare
- Increases Affordable Care Act Support-3
- 6/25/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Mark AlfordRepublican · Missouri