Amendment ID: H3452-1

Amendment 1

An Act implementing the Affordable Care Act and providing further access to affordable health care

Mr. Brewer recommends that the bill be amended in section 20, by striking out, line 135, the words “cannot purchase a qualified health plan” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “are not eligible for federal advanced premium tax credits”; and

in section 36, by striking out, in line 189 to 191, inclusive,  the words “and for the administration of the fair share employer contribution requirement pursuant to section 188 of chapter 149”; and

in section 73, by striking out, in line 525, the word “designated”, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “office of patient protection, established by section 16 of chapter 6D or, if applicable, the designated”; and

by inserting, after section 102, the following section:-

SECTION 102A.  The commonwealth, by and through the governor or the governor’s designee, shall formally request a federal waiver to avoid the adverse effects of rating and rule changes to the Massachusetts merged market, to protect consumers and businesses in the commonwealth and in an effort to maintain current Massachusetts rating and rule requirements.  All negotiations with any federal agency concerning this waiver shall be conducted in consultation with a member of the house of representatives as appointed by the speaker of the house and a member of the senate as appointed by the senate president. The governor, or the governor’s designee shall file a detailed report describing the waiver application and waivers received, along with all documentation, including, but not limited to, all related written and verbal responses from the Department of Health and Human Services, with the clerks of the senate and house not later than October 1, 2014. The governor shall report monthly to the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees on ways and means on the status of the waiver request under this section.