MFA Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9515
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-29: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-09T22:55:28Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation aims to strengthen security on the healthcare.gov website by mandating multi-factor authentication for enrollment in qualified health plans and access to related personalized information, with the goal of reducing fraud in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 1311(c) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by adding a new paragraph requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement multi-factor authentication on healthcare.gov (or any successor site).
- The requirement applies to individuals enrolling in a qualified health plan or accessing personalized enrollment data.
- Multi-factor authentication is defined as verification using at least two of the following: knowledge factors (such as a password), possession factors (such as a token), or inherence factors (such as biometric characteristics).
- Exceptions are provided for individuals without access to broadband or cellular service, or those otherwise unable to use multi-factor authentication as determined by the Secretary.
- The changes take effect for plan years beginning one year after the date of enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill introduces a new mandatory security standard under the Affordable Care Act that did not previously exist, shifting from the current single-factor or optional authentication methods to a required multi-factor process for marketplace access.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: The Department of Health and Human Services must develop and enforce the multi-factor authentication system within one year, potentially requiring updates to healthcare.gov infrastructure and processes.
- Citizens: Most users will need to adopt multi-factor authentication for enrollment or account access, which could improve protection against identity theft but may create barriers for those lacking compatible devices or services (though exceptions mitigate this).
- International relations: No direct effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Individuals seeking health insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchanges.
- The Secretary of Health and Human Services and related federal agencies responsible for operating healthcare.gov.
- State-based exchanges that may align with or reference the federal requirements.
- Health insurance issuers participating in the marketplaces.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The legislation represents a targeted amendment to existing health care law focused on cybersecurity without altering core Affordable Care Act structures. It raises practical considerations around accessibility and implementation timelines but does not appear to implicate constitutional issues such as federal authority or individual rights.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Fine, Randy [R-FL-6], Rep. Arrington, Jodey C. [R-TX-19]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-29: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2026-06-29: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-29: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Marketplace Fraud Accountability Act — issued 2026-06-29 — PDF (3 pages)