Senate Study Bill 3242 SENATE FILE BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE BILL BY CO=CHAIRPERSON WARNSTADT) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act requiring development of a simplified application process 2 and uniform application for small employer group health 3 insurance coverage. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 6544SK 81 6 av/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. UNIFORM APPLICATION FOR SMALL EMPLOYER GROUP 1 2 HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE == RECOMMENDATIONS == REPORT. 1 3 1. The commissioner of insurance shall work with small 1 4 employer carriers to develop a simplified application process 1 5 to assist employers in applying for health insurance coverage 1 6 offered by such carriers. The process shall include a uniform 1 7 application form to be utilized by all small employer 1 8 carriers. 1 9 2. The commissioner shall report recommendations to the 1 10 general assembly by December 31, 2006, for development of a 1 11 simplified application process and uniform application form to 1 12 be implemented for use by all small employer carriers by July 1 13 1, 2007. 1 14 3. For the purposes of this section, a "small employer 1 15 carrier" is a carrier as defined in section 513B.2 that offers 1 16 health benefit plans covering the employees of a small 1 17 employer as defined in section 513B.2. 1 18 EXPLANATION 1 19 This bill requires the commissioner of insurance to work 1 20 with entities providing health insurance coverage to small 1 21 employers to develop a simplified application process for such 1 22 insurance. The system is required to include a uniform 1 23 application form to be utilized by all small employer 1 24 carriers. 1 25 The commissioner is required to report recommendations for 1 26 development of the simplified application process and uniform 1 27 application form to the general assembly by December 31, 2006, 1 28 to be implemented for use by all small employer carriers by 1 29 July 1, 2007. 1 30 For the purposes of the bill, a "small employer carrier" is 1 31 a carrier as defined in Code section 513B.2 which offers 1 32 health benefit plans covering the employees of a small 1 33 employer as defined in Code section 513B.2 that employs two to 1 34 50 employees. 1 35 LSB 6544SK 81 2 1 av:nh/je/5