Senate File 212
SENATE FILE
BY KREIMAN
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act requiring the insurance division of the department of
2 commerce to establish a school health insurance reform team
3 study and to make recommendations to the general assembly.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
5 TLSB 2820XS 80
6 av/sh/8
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. SCHOOL HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM TEAM STUDY. The
1 2 insurance division of the department of commerce shall
1 3 establish a school health insurance reform team. The school
1 4 health insurance reform team shall conduct a study to review
1 5 the availability of affordable health insurance coverage for
1 6 school district employees, insurance ratings practices, the
1 7 establishment of continuity of coverage for school districts
1 8 and their employees, and methods to improve the efficiency and
1 9 fairness of the health insurance marketplace for school
1 10 districts and their employees. The school health insurance
1 11 reform team shall examine the feasibility of the following:
1 12 1. Establishing a premium rating system based on the
1 13 statewide health status, claims experience, and other
1 14 demographic characteristics of school district employees.
1 15 2. Establishing basic or standard health benefit plans
1 16 with benefit levels, cost=sharing levels, exclusions, and
1 17 limitations available to all school districts and their
1 18 employees.
1 19 3. Establishing uniform coverage plans with benefit
1 20 coverages that may be added to the basic or standard plans, at
1 21 the option of a school district.
1 22 4. Establishing restrictions on premium rates and rate
1 23 increases.
1 24 5. Establishing a school district health reinsurance
1 25 program.
1 26 The commissioner of insurance shall select the members of
1 27 the school health insurance reform team which shall include a
1 28 representative of a school district with fewer than six
1 29 hundred students, a representative of a school district with
1 30 six hundred to nine hundred ninety=nine students, a
1 31 representative of a school district with one thousand or more
1 32 students, a representative of the Iowa association of school
1 33 boards, a representative of a collective bargaining
1 34 organization that represents school district employees, a
1 35 representative of a health insurance carrier, a representative
2 1 of a health insurance provider, and others, who, in the
2 2 opinion of the commissioner, have expertise that would assist
2 3 the team in accomplishing its purpose.
2 4 The commissioner shall submit a report to the general
2 5 assembly on or before January 15, 2004, regarding the team's
2 6 findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation,
2 7 concerning health insurance coverage for school districts and
2 8 their employees.
2 9 EXPLANATION
2 10 This bill requires the insurance division of the department
2 11 of commerce to conduct a study to review health insurance
2 12 coverage for school districts and their employees including
2 13 availability, ratings practices, continuity of coverage, and
2 14 the fairness and efficiency of the marketplace as it relates
2 15 to such health insurance. The school health insurance reform
2 16 team is required to examine the feasibility of establishing a
2 17 premium rating system, basic or standard health benefit plans,
2 18 uniform coverage plans, restrictions on premium rates and rate
2 19 increases, and a health reinsurance program for school
2 20 districts and their employees.
2 21 The commissioner of insurance is directed to select members
2 22 of the school health insurance reform team including the
2 23 following: a representative of a school district with fewer
2 24 than 600 students, a representative of a school district with
2 25 600 to 999 students, a representative of a school district
2 26 with 1,000 or more students, a representative of the Iowa
2 27 association of school boards, a representative of a collective
2 28 bargaining organization that represents school district
2 29 employees, a representative of a health insurance carrier, a
2 30 representative of a health care provider, and others, who, in
2 31 the opinion of the commissioner, have expertise that would
2 32 assist the team in accomplishing its purpose.
2 33 The bill provides that the commissioner shall submit a
2 34 report to the general assembly on or before January 15, 2004,
2 35 regarding the team's findings and recommendations concerning
3 1 health insurance coverage for school districts and their
3 2 employees.
3 3 LSB 2820XS 80
3 4 av/sh/8