House File 2432 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY HEDDENS, BELL, BUKTA, FALLON,
GASKILL, HOGG, JOCHUM, KUHN,
LYKAM, MILLER, OLDSON, BERRY,
COHOON, DAVITT, FOEGE, FREVERT,
HUNTER, JACOBY, KRESSIG, LENSING,
MERTZ, MURPHY, D. OLSON, R. OLSON,
PETTENGILL, REASONER, SCHUELLER,
SHOULTZ, SWAIM, T. TAYLOR, WENDT,
WHITAKER, WINCKLER, PETERSEN,
REICHERT, SHOMSHOR, SMITH,
D. TAYLOR, THOMAS, WESSEL=KROESCHELL,
WHITEAD, and WISE
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act concerning insurance coverage relating to eligibility to
2 become a member of a state group insurance plan for school
3 district employees and small business employees and the
4 expansion of the healthy and well kids in Iowa program to
5 parents of eligible children.
6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
7 TLSB 5594YH 81
8 ec/sh/8
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 279.63 MEMBERSHIP IN STATE
1 2 INSURANCE PLANS.
1 3 1. Subject to any applicable collective bargaining
1 4 agreement negotiated pursuant to chapter 20, the board of
1 5 directors of a school district may offer employees of the
1 6 school district the ability to become a member of a state
1 7 group insurance plan for employees of the state established
1 8 under chapter 509A subject to the requirements of this
1 9 section.
1 10 2. If the board of directors of a school district seeks to
1 11 offer state group insurance plans to employees, then the
1 12 department of administrative services shall enter into an
1 13 agreement with the school district. The agreement shall
1 14 provide, to the extent practicable, that employees be offered
1 15 state group insurance plans on a basis similar to that offered
1 16 full=time state employees excluded from collective bargaining
1 17 as provided in chapter 20. The agreement shall also include,
1 18 at a minimum, provisions under which state group insurance
1 19 plans are available and the applicable enrollment rules and
1 20 premium rates for each plan. The agreement shall be subject
1 21 to review and approval by the commissioner of insurance.
1 22 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 513B.9 STATE GROUP INSURANCE PLAN
1 23 COVERAGE == AVAILABILITY.
1 24 1. A small employer may offer group health insurance
1 25 coverage to its employees through a state group insurance plan
1 26 for employees of the state established under chapter 509A
1 27 subject to the requirements of this section.
1 28 2. A small employer who seeks to offer state group
1 29 insurance plans to employees shall enter into an agreement
1 30 with the department of administrative services. The agreement
1 31 shall provide, to the extent practicable, that employees be
1 32 offered state group insurance plans on a basis similar to that
1 33 offered full=time state employees excluded from collective
1 34 bargaining as provided in chapter 20. The agreement shall
1 35 also include, at a minimum, provisions under which state group
2 1 insurance plans are available and the applicable enrollment
2 2 rules and premium rates for each plan. The agreement shall be
2 3 subject to review and approval by the commissioner of
2 4 insurance.
2 5 Sec. 3. STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM ==
2 6 FAMILY COVERAGE WAIVER. The director of human services shall
2 7 seek a waiver from the centers for Medicaid and Medicare
2 8 services of the United States department of health and human
2 9 services to provide family coverage under the state children's
2 10 health insurance program created under Title XXI of the Social
2 11 Security Act. The program shall provide for payment of
2 12 premiums for private insurance for families if the cost of
2 13 coverage for the entire family is less than the cost of
2 14 enrollment of only the children in the family in the state
2 15 children's health insurance program. The employers' benefit
2 16 packages and contribution levels shall comply with all federal
2 17 requirements. The department shall report progress regarding
2 18 the request for a waiver under this section to the general
2 19 assembly periodically.
2 20 EXPLANATION
2 21 This bill provides that the board of directors of a school
2 22 district and a small employer may enter into an agreement with
2 23 the department of administrative services to offer state group
2 24 insurance plans to their employees. Current law defines small
2 25 employers for purposes of the model small group rating law as
2 26 employers with not more than 50 full=time equivalent
2 27 employees. The bill provides that the plans offered shall, to
2 28 the extent practicable, be the same as the plans offered state
2 29 employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
2 30 The bill provides that the agreement with the department
2 31 include provisions governing what plans are offered and the
2 32 applicable enrollment rules and premium rates for each plan.
2 33 The bill also provides that the commissioner of insurance
2 34 review and approve all agreements.
2 35 The bill also directs the director of human services to
3 1 seek a waiver from the centers for Medicaid and Medicare
3 2 services of the United States department of health and human
3 3 services to provide family coverage under the state children's
3 4 health insurance program created under Title XXI of the Social
3 5 Security Act.
3 6 LSB 5594YH 81
3 7 ec:rj/sh/8