Us Code § 4377 - Definitions and special rules
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 4377 — Definitions and special rules, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 4377. Definitions and special rules
(a) Definitions
For purposes of this subchapter—
(1) Accident and health coverage
The term "accident and health coverage" means any coverage which, if provided by an insurance policy, would cause such policy to be a specified health insurance policy (as defined in section 4375(c)).
(2) Insurance policy
The term "insurance policy" means any policy or other instrument whereby a contract of insurance is issued, renewed, or extended.
(3) United States
The term "United States" includes any possession of the United States.
(b) Treatment of governmental entities
(1) In general
For purposes of this subchapter—
(A) the term "person" includes any governmental entity, and
(B) notwithstanding any other law or rule of law, governmental entities shall not be exempt from the fees imposed by this subchapter except as provided in paragraph (2).
(2) Treatment of exempt governmental programs
In the case of an exempt governmental program, no fee shall be imposed under section 4375 or section 4376 on any covered life under such program.
(3) Exempt governmental program defined
For purposes of this subchapter, the term "exempt governmental program" means—
(A) any insurance program established under title XVIII of the Social Security Act,
(B) the medical assistance program established by title XIX or XXI of the Social Security Act,
(C) any program established by Federal law for providing medical care (other than through insurance policies) to individuals (or the spouses and dependents thereof) by reason of such individuals being members of the Armed Forces of the United States or veterans, and
(D) any program established by Federal law for providing medical care (other than through insurance policies) to members of Indian tribes (as defined in section 4(d) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act).
(c) Treatment as tax
For purposes of subtitle F, the fees imposed by this subchapter shall be treated as if they were taxes.
(d) No cover over to possessions
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no amount collected under this subchapter shall be covered over to any possession of the United States.
(Added Pub. L. 111–148, title VI, §6301(e)(2)(A), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 746.)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(3)(A), (B), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620. Titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Act are classified generally to subchapters XVIII (§1395 et seq.), XIX (§1396 et seq.), and XXI (§1397aa et seq.), respectively, of chapter 7 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables.
Section 4(d) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(3)(D), is classified to section 1603(d) of Title 25, Indians.
CHAPTER 35—TAXES ON WAGERING
1 Section numbers editorially supplied.
Subchapter A—Tax on Wagers
About This Section
26 U.S.C. § 4377 is part of Title 26 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 26 U.S.C. § 4377. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.