Bill Text: PA HB1099 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Imposing a moratorium on enactment of new or expanded health insurance policy mandated benefits and requiring the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the issue of health insurance mandates and report to the General Assembly.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Republican 22-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-25 - Referred to INSURANCE [HB1099 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB1099-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1296
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1099 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY BOYD, CLYMER, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, DENLINGER, EVERETT, GEORGE, GIBBONS, HARPER, HESS, HICKERNELL, KAUFFMAN, M. KELLER, MAHER, MILLARD, MILLER, MURT, PHILLIPS, PYLE, RAPP, ROCK, ROHRER, STERN AND VULAKOVICH, MARCH 25, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE, MARCH 25, 2009
AN ACT
Imposing a moratorium on enactment of new or expanded health
insurance policy mandated benefits and requiring the
Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the issue
of health insurance mandates and report to the General
Assembly.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Mandated
Benefit Moratorium Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Health insurance policy." An individual or group health,
sickness or accident policy, subscriber contract or certificate
issued by an entity subject to any of the following:
(1) The act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as
The Insurance Company Law of 1921.
(2) The act of December 29, 1972 (P.L.1701, No.364),
known as the Health Maintenance Organization Act.
(3) 40 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61 (relating to hospital plan
corporations) or 63 (relating to professional health services
plan corporations).
"Insurer." A foreign or domestic entity that issues a health
insurance policy in this Commonwealth.
Section 3. Mandated benefit moratorium.
(a) General rule.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law to the contrary, pending submission to the General Assembly
of the study required under section 4, a moratorium is hereby
established during which the General Assembly shall not enact
any new or expanded health insurance policy mandated benefit.
(b) Construction.--Nothing in this act shall be construed
to:
(1) Prohibit an employer or insurer from electing to
provide new or expanded coverage under a health insurance
policy.
(2) Prohibit changes in any coverage requirements to
comply with Federal law.
Section 4. Study of existing mandated benefits.
The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee shall study the
issue of health insurance policy mandated benefits and the cost
to employers and individuals of health insurance policy
mandates. In conducting the study, the Legislative Budget and
Finance Committee shall consider cost-benefit analyses to
determine the cost-effectiveness of mandated benefits. At a
minimum, the committee shall inquire into and make
recommendations with respect to:
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(1) All federally mandated and State-mandated health
benefits placed upon issuers in Pennsylvania since 1990.
(2) The impact of each mandated health benefit on the
premiums for health insurance policy coverage in this
Commonwealth.
(3) The social, financial and medical efficacy of each
mandated health benefit.
The committee shall submit a final report with recommendations
to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2009, and
shall publish notice of the final report in the Pennsylvania
Bulletin within 30 days of the submission of the final report.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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