Budget Amendment ID: FY2022-S3-463

EHS 463

Small Business Health Insurance Affordability

Ms. Moran, Messrs. Tarr, O'Connor and Cyr moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section __ the following new section:-

"SECTION __. Section 12 of Chapter 176J of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting the following:-

(i) The commissioner shall evaluate the effectiveness of purchasing cooperatives in increasing the affordability of health insurance premiums, current impact of health insurance costs on small businesses, and recommendations for increasing affordability and small business leverage in insurance purchasing. The commissioner must include representation from small businesses ranging in size, geographic location, ownership, and structure in the evaluation. The commissioner shall develop a report sharing the results of the evaluation. Such report shall contain analysis of the effectiveness of purchasing cooperatives in increasing the affordability of health insurance premiums, current impact of health insurance costs on small businesses, and recommendations for improving affordability and small business leverage in health insurance purchasing in order to reduce the financial burden of health insurance purchases on small businesses. The report shall be submitted to the clerks of the house and senate, the joint committee on healthcare financing and the joint committee on community development and small business on or before the first day of July 2023 with the findings of the task force evaluations as previously outlined."