General Assembly Raised Bill No. 957
January Session, 2013 LCO No. 3247
*03247_______INS*
Referred to Committee on INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE
Introduced by:
(INS)
General Assembly
Raised Bill No. 957
January Session, 2013
LCO No. 3247
*03247_______INS*
Referred to Committee on INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE
Introduced by:
(INS)
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A HEALTH INSURANCE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a health insurance advisory council to examine ways to ensure effective review by the Insurance Department of health insurance rates, ensure the affordability of health insurance in this state and monitor the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, as defined in section 38a-1080 of the general statutes, in this state.
(b) The council shall consist of the following members:
(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be advocates for uninsured individuals;
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one who shall be an advocate for Medicaid recipients and one who shall be a representative of organized labor;
(3) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be representatives of insurance companies;
(4) Two appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be representatives of health care providers;
(5) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be representatives of insurance producers;
(6) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one who shall be a representative of small employers and one who shall be a representative of self-employed individuals;
(7) One appointed by the Governor, who shall be an actuary who is a member in good standing of the American Academy of Actuaries;
(8) The Insurance Commissioner, the Commissioner of Social Services, the Comptroller, the Healthcare Advocate and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or their designees;
(9) The chief executive officer of the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange established under section 38a-1081 of the general statutes or such officer's designee; and
(10) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to insurance.
(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly.
(d) All appointments to the council shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.
(e) The members of the advisory council shall select the chairpersons of such council from among the members of such council. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the advisory council, which shall be held not later than August 1, 2013.
(f) Members of the advisory council shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for any necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
(g) The advisory council shall evaluate and make recommendations on: (1) The inclusion of, and the methodology to be used for such inclusion, consumer affordability factors in the Insurance Department's review of health insurance rates, including, but not limited to, (A) consumer share and employer share of premiums, (B) consumer out-of-pocket expenses for health insurance, (C) the impact of competition on the health insurance market in this state, and (D) insurer executive compensation; (2) provider network adequacy in this state; (3) educational outreach programs for the general public about health insurance and consumer rights under state law and the Affordable Care Act; (4) the Insurance Department's capacity to monitor and enforce the provisions of state law concerning health insurance and the provisions of the Affordable Care Act; (5) the use of risk adjustment and reinsurance with respect to the health insurance market in this state; (6) rating methodologies used in this state; (7) insurance producer incentives and services; (8) the Insurance Department's support of innovative models that promote consumer value and reward quality health care; (9) insurer plan marketing and enrollee education; (10) the effectiveness of insurers' adverse determination grievance procedures; (11) the level of coordination between the Insurance Department, state medical assistance programs and the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange; (12) adverse selection monitoring efforts by the Insurance Department; and (13) state efforts to promote competition in the health insurance market in this state.
(h) Not later than January 1, 2014, and quarterly thereafter, the advisory council shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to insurance, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 from passage New section
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
from passage
New section
Statement of Purpose:
To establish a health insurance advisory council to evaluate and make recommendations on ways to ensure effective review by the Insurance Department of health insurance rates, ensure the affordability of health insurance in this state and monitor the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in this state.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]