House File 434
HOUSE FILE
BY BUKTA, FOEGE, FALLON,
MYERS, MASCHER, D. TAYLOR,
D. OLSON, MERTZ, T. TAYLOR,
MILLER, GASKILL, WHITAKER,
DAVITT, WINCKLER, WENDT,
WHITEAD, QUIRK, STEVENS, WISE,
FORD, DANDEKAR, BELL, COHOON,
LYKAM, GREIMANN, FREVERT,
CONNORS, and MURPHY
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act providing for a feasibility study on creating a statewide
2 public employee health insurance system.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 2641YH 80
5 ec/pj/5
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. IOWA PUBLIC EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE SYSTEM ==
1 2 FEASIBILITY STUDY.
1 3 1. The director of the department of personnel, in
1 4 collaboration with the commissioner of insurance, shall
1 5 conduct a feasibility study on the creation of a statewide
1 6 public employee health benefit system. The study shall
1 7 examine whether a statewide public employee health benefit
1 8 system will minimize health insurance risk by combining the
1 9 numerous subgroups of public employees into a single risk pool
1 10 to stabilize health insurance costs. The study shall include
1 11 a cost=benefit analysis of the current system of providing
1 12 health benefits versus a single risk pool envisioned with a
1 13 statewide public employee health benefit system. The director
1 14 of personnel and the commissioner of insurance shall involve
1 15 state and political subdivision representatives and
1 16 representatives of organizations representing state and
1 17 political subdivision employees subdivisions to advise the
1 18 director and commissioner in the development of the
1 19 feasibility study.
1 20 2. The study shall examine the feasibility of all of the
1 21 following:
1 22 a. Establishing a premium rating system based on the
1 23 statewide health status, claim experience, and other
1 24 demographic characteristics of public employees.
1 25 b. Establishing basic or standard health benefit plans
1 26 with benefit levels, cost=sharing levels, exclusions, and
1 27 limitations available to the state and all political
1 28 subdivisions and their employees.
1 29 c. Establishing uniform coverage plans with benefit
1 30 coverage that may be added to the basic or standard plans at
1 31 the option of the state and political subdivisions.
1 32 d. Establishing restrictions on premium rates and rate
1 33 increases.
1 34 e. Establishing a statewide public employee health
1 35 reinsurance program.
2 1 3. The director of the department of personnel and the
2 2 commissioner of insurance shall submit a joint report
2 3 concerning the results of the feasibility study, including
2 4 their findings and recommendations, to the general assembly by
2 5 January 15, 2004.
2 6 EXPLANATION
2 7 This bill requires the director of the department of
2 8 personnel and the commissioner of insurance to jointly conduct
2 9 a feasibility study concerning the creation of a statewide
2 10 public employee health benefit system. The bill provides that
2 11 the study include a cost=benefit analysis of the current
2 12 system of providing health benefits versus a single risk pool
2 13 envisioned with a statewide public employee health benefit
2 14 system. The director of personnel and the commissioner of
2 15 insurance are also required to involve representatives of the
2 16 state and its political subdivisions and organizations
2 17 representing employees of the state and these political
2 18 subdivisions to advise them regarding the feasibility study.
2 19 The bill requires that the director of the department of
2 20 personnel and the commissioner of insurance submit a joint
2 21 report on the results of the study to the general assembly by
2 22 January 15, 2004.
2 23 LSB 2641YH 80
2 24 ec/pj/5