{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2025/12/health care/blackburn-introduces-legislation-to-empower-families-to-choose-health-care-coverage-that-fits-their-needs", "Blackburn Introduces Legislation to Empower Families to Choose Health Care Coverage That Fits Their Needs", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TN", "Marsha Blackburn", "B001243", "www.blackburn.senate.gov", "blackburn", "https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/news/cc8c80c1-d564-4bbb-93a4-f1d772346ae0", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced the Health Coverage Across State Lines Act, which would allow health insurers to offer individual health insurance plans across state lines. This legislation would lower costs, expand options, and increase competition in the insurance marketplace.\n\n\u201cFamilies shouldn\u2019t be stuck with one or two overpriced insurance options just because of where they live,\u201d said Senator Blackburn. \u201cThe Health Coverage Across State Lines Act would empower Americans to choose the health insurance plan that works for them by allowing insurers to sell plans across state lines. Opening up the marketplace would drive down costs, expand choice for families, and break up insurance monopolies.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nCurrently, millions of Americans are left with only one or two options when it comes to purchasing a health insurance plan and are prevented from buying across state lines.\n\nAcross-state-line purchases of health insurance would put consumers in the driver\u2019s seat, letting families shop for coverage that fits their needs instead of being locked into one state\u2019s limited offerings.\n\nAllowing health insurers to compete across state lines breaks up insurance monopolies, putting downward pressure on premiums.\n\nSmall businesses and self-employed Americans face the highest premiums and fewest choices in today\u2019s market. Across-state-line sales would allow them to access broader, more affordable enrollment options.\n\nTHE HEALTH COVERAGE ACROSS STATE LINES ACT\n\nThe Health Coverage Across State Lines Act would allow health insurance plans to be sold across state lines and ensure they are governed by the laws of the insurer\u2019s \u201cprimary\u201d state, even when sold in secondary states. This would remove regulatory barriers that currently fragment the insurance market along state boundaries and limit plan availability and affordability for consumers.\n\nThis legislation would create real competition where none currently exists for millions of Americans living in one or two insurer states.\n\nClick here for bill text.\n\nRELATED\n\nBlackburn Introduces Bills to Support and Expand Tennessee\u2019s Medicaid Innovation\n\nBlackburn, Bennet Introduce Bill to Support Lifesaving Emergency Services in Rural Communities\n\nBlackburn, Warner Introduce Bill to Lower Costs and Improve Access to Care for Rural Medicare Patients\n\nBlackburn, Colleagues Introduce Veterans Health Care Freedom Act", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2025/12/health care/blackburn-introduces-legislation-to-empower-families-to-choose-health-care-coverage-that-fits-their-needs"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4325191732496023, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}