H.B. No. 0111

Health insurance pool amendments.

Sponsored By: Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee

AN ACT relating to the Wyoming Health Insurance Pool Act; directing the commissioner of insurance to offer low cost coverage alternatives as specified; repealing specified deductible amounts; extending the sunset date of the act by six years; and providing for an effective date.

1/5/2005 Bill Number Assigned

1/11/2005 H Received for Introduction

1/11/2005 H Introduced and Referred to H10

1/13/2005 H10 Recommended Amend and Do Pass

ROLL CALL

Ayes: Representative(s) Barnard, Brechtel, Harvey, Hastert, Iekel, Martin, Morgan and Osborn

Excused: Representative(s) Jackson

Ayes 8 Nays 0 Excused 1 Absent 0 Conflicts 0

1/13/2005 H Placed on General File

1/14/2005 H Passed CoW

1/17/2005 H Passed 2nd Reading

1/18/2005 H Passed 3rd Reading

ROLL CALL

Ayes: Representative(s) Alden, Anderson, R., Bagby, Barnard, Berger, Brechtel, Brown, Buchanan, Bucholz, Childers, Cohee, Davison, Diercks, Edwards, Esquibel, Gay, Gilmore, Gingery, Goggles, Hageman, Hammons, Harshman, Harvey, Hastert, Hinckley, Iekel, Illoway, Jones, Jorgensen, Landon, Latta, Lockhart, Lubnau, Luthi, Martin, McOmie, Meuli, Miller, Morgan, Olsen, Osborn, Pedersen, Petersen, Powers, Quarberg, Reese, Robinson, Samuelson, Semlek, Simpson, Slater, Thompson, Walsh, Warren, Wasserburger, Watt, White and Zwonitzer.

Excused: Representative(s) Jackson and Philp.

Ayes 58 Nays 0 Excused 2 Absent 0 Conflicts 0

1/18/2005 S Received for Introduction

1/27/2005 S Introduced and Referred to S10

2/7/2005 S10 Recommended Amend and Do Pass

ROLL CALL

Ayes: Senator(s) Aullman, Barrasso, Decaria, Massie and Scott

Ayes 5 Nays 0 Excused 0 Absent 0 Conflicts 0

2/7/2005 S Placed on General File

HB0111SS001/ADOPTED

Page 1-line 3 After "specified;" insert "limiting persons eligible for pool coverage;".

Page 1-line 9 After "W.S." insert "26-43-103(b)(i), (v) and by creating a new paragraph (vi),";

Page 1-after line 10 Insert:

"26-43-103. Eligibility.

(b) The following persons are not eligible for pool coverage:

(i) Persons who have coverage under health insurance or an insurance arrangement on the issue date of pool coverage;, except those who provide evidence of termination of the coverage to the administrator within seven (7) months of the effective date of the pool coverage;

(v) Inmates of public institutions;.

(vi)  Persons who are eligible for group health insurance or a group health insurance arrangement provided in connection with a policy, plan or program sponsored by an employer and subject to regulation as a group health plan under federal or state law, even though the employer coverage is declined.". SCOTT, CHAIRMAN

2/9/2005 S Passed CoW

HB0111S2001/ADOPTED

Page 1-line 4 After "amounts;" insert "restricting premiums as specified;".

Page 1-line 9 After "26-43-106(b)(ii)" insert ", 26-43-107(c)".

Page 2–after line 15 Insert:

"26-43-107. Premiums; standard risk rate.

(c) Initial rates for pool coverage in the first year coverage is provided pursuant to this act shall not be less than one hundred fifty percent (150%) of rates established as applicable for individual standard risks. Subsequent rates may provide for the expected costs of claims including recovery of prior losses, expenses of operation, investment income of claim reserves, and any other costs factors subject to the limitations provided by this subsection. For the period from July 1, 1995 through June 30, 2001, rates for pool coverage shall not be less than one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) nor greater than one hundred fifty percent (150%) of rates established as applicable for individual standard risks for comparable coverage. Subsequent pool rates shall not exceed two hundred percent (200%) of rates applicable to individual standard risks. All rates and rate schedules shall be submitted to the commissioner for approval. The rates shall be set as close as practical to the lower end of the range provided by this subsection without undue risk of shifting more than fifty percent (50%) of the burden of assessments to private health insurance.". SCOTT

2/10/2005 S Passed 2nd Reading

2/11/2005 S Passed 3rd Reading

ROLL CALL

Ayes: Senator(s) Anderson, J., Aullman, Barrasso, Boggs, Burns, Coe, Cooper, Decaria, Geis, Hanes, Hawks, Hines, Jennings, Job, Johnson, Larson, Massie, Meier, Mockler, Nicholas, Northrup, Peck, Ross, Schiffer, Scott, Sessions, Townsend, Vasey and Von Flatern.

Nays: Senator(s) Case

Ayes 29 Nays 1 Excused 0 Absent 0 Conflicts 0

2/14/2005 H Did Concur

ROLL CALL

Ayes: Representative(s) Alden, Anderson, R., Bagby, Barnard, Berger, Brechtel, Brown, Buchanan, Bucholz, Childers, Cohee, Davison, Diercks, Edwards, Esquibel, Gay, Gilmore, Gingery, Goggles, Hageman, Hammons, Harshman, Harvey, Hastert, Hinckley, Iekel, Illoway, Jones, Landon, Latta, Lockhart, Lubnau, Luthi, Martin, McOmie, Meuli, Miller, Morgan, Olsen, Osborn, Pedersen, Petersen, Philp, Powers, Quarberg, Reese, Robinson, Samuelson, Semlek, Slater, Thompson, Walsh, Warren, Wasserburger, Watt, White and Zwonitzer.

Nays: Representative(s) Simpson

Excused: Representative(s) Jackson and Jorgensen.

Ayes 57 Nays 1 Excused 2 Absent 0 Conflicts 0

2/14/2005 Assigned Number HEA No. 0030

2/15/2005 H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0030

2/16/2005 S President Signed HEA No. 0030

2/18/2005 Governor Signed HEA No. 0030

2/18/2005 Assigned Chapter Number

Chapter No. 0057 Session Laws of Wyoming 2005.