HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2223        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2091

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act Relative to a Temporary Suspension of the Minimum Creditable Coverage Requirements..

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2223        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2091

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1073 OF 2009-2010.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

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An Act Relative to a Temporary Suspension of the Minimum Creditable Coverage Requirements..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Subsection (a) of section 2 of chapter 111M of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2008 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the words “July 1, 2007,” and inserting in place thereof:- "July 1, 2012,".

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a special commission, known as the Massachusetts Minimum Creditable Coverage Advisory Commission, to investigate and study various aspects of health insurance in the commonwealth, including but not limited to:

a)Minimum creditable coverage standards, pursuant to section 2 of chapter 111M of the General Laws and the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector’s Regulation 956 CMR 5.00: Minimum Creditable Coverage. The commission will consider how to lower premium costs of health insurance in the commonwealth, by making minimum creditable coverage standards less stringent, including but not limited to eliminating the requirement that all health insurance plans cover prescription medication;

b)mandated health benefits, and the potential to lower premium costs by reducing the mandated benefits all health insurance plans must offer;

c)allowing Massachusetts residents to purchase individual health care coverage from out-of-state; and

d)amending regulations for health insurance plans for families, so that those families would pay more for health insurance for each additional member receiving coverage.

The commission shall consist of the secretary of the executive office of health and human services, or his designee; the executive director of the Commonwealth health insurance connector authority, or his designee; the president of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, or his designee; 2 members appointed by the attorney general, 1 of whom shall be an employee health benefits plan specialist, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a health consumer organization; the Boston district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration, or his designee; 1 member who is a small business owner in Massachusetts, appointed by the Governor; 1 member who is a taxpayer advocate, appointed by the Governor; the president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, or his designee; 1 member of the senate to be appointed by the senate president; 1 member to be appointed by the senate minority leader; 1 member of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker of the house; 1 member to be appointed by the house minority leader.

The commission shall submit its report and findings, along with any draft of legislation, to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on health care financing, and the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate on or before June 1, 2012.

SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the current minimum creditable coverage regulations, promulgated under said section 2 of chapter 111M of the General Laws, shall be suspended until July 1, 2012.