Health Care for Working Families Act of 2003

The Health Care for Working Families Act of 2003 proposed a mandate requiring large employers—those with 50 or more full-time workers—to provide health insurance to their employees and their families. Under this bill, these employers would have been required to pay a portion of the insurance premiums at a rate comparable to what the federal government pays for its own employees' health plans.

For everyday citizens, this would have meant that most workers at large companies would be guaranteed access to a health plan with benefits at least as comprehensive as the standard Blue Cross-Blue Shield plan offered to federal workers. Additionally, the bill required employees already covered by certain federal programs, such as Medicare or Medicaid, to either enroll in their employer’s plan or have the government assist with the premium costs. While the bill was introduced in the House of Representatives, it did not advance past the committee stage and never became law.