Amendment #476 to H3400

Health Care Premiums

[Sponsors] Representatives Turner of Dennis, Brownsberger of Belmont, and Ashe of Longmeadow move to amend the bill by adding the following section:

"Section XX.

Notwithstanding any law, special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, no entity selling health insurance to consumers in the commonwealth of Massachusetts shall raise the premiums charged to consumers or to political and non-political entities paying, in whole or in part, premiums for employees health care coverage for a period of three years beginning immediately upon passage of this provision.

During said three year period an insurer may apply in the usual manner for a rate increase if the revenues received from premium payments are insufficient to pay actual medical costs for covered Massachusetts residents. The Commissioner of insurance shall not allow any requested increase unless the applicant insurer demonstrates sufficiently that the sole reason for the requested increase is because premium payments from covered Massachusetts residents are insufficient to pay actual medical costs for covered Massachusetts residents."