Budget Amendment ID: FY2015-S4-894

EHS 894

Restoring Massachusetts Health Care

Messrs. Tarr, Hedlund, Ross and Humason moved that the proposed new text be amended moved that the bill be amended by inserting, after section__, the following new section:-

“SECTION__. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the commonwealth, by and through the governor or the governor’s designee shall formally request a permanent federal waiver from the burdensome market rating rules in CMS-9972-F that specify permissible rating factors and require annual rate setting under The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152, including but not limited to a waiver under Section 1332 of the Act.  All negotiations with any federal agency concerning this waiver shall be conducted in consultation with the house and senate chairs and ranking minority members of the joint committee on health care financing.  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 December 31, 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.”