House File 2278 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2278 BY HUNTER A BILL FOR An Act relating to health insurance participation requirements. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 TLSB 5605YH (3) 84 av/nh

H.F. 2278 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 509.20 Health insurance 1 participation requirements. 2 1. An employer shall not require an employee to accept 3 group health insurance coverage pursuant to a group health 4 insurance policy offered by the employer or as a condition of 5 employment if the employee provides proof that the employee 6 has creditable coverage as defined in section 513B.2. If the 7 employee ceases to have creditable coverage, the employee 8 shall have sixty days from the date that the creditable 9 coverage ceases to provide proof that the employee has obtained 10 creditable coverage before being required to accept group 11 health insurance coverage offered by the employer. 12 2. In applying minimum participation requirements as a 13 condition of providing group health insurance coverage to an 14 employer, a carrier, as defined in section 513B.2, shall not 15 consider an employee or dependents of an employee who have 16 other creditable coverage in determining whether the applicable 17 percentage of participation is met. 18 EXPLANATION 19 This bill provides that an employee cannot be required 20 to accept group health insurance coverage pursuant to a 21 group health insurance policy offered by an employer or as 22 a condition of employment if the employee provides proof of 23 having creditable coverage. If the employee ceases to have 24 creditable coverage, the employee has 60 days from the date 25 that creditable coverage ceases to obtain creditable coverage 26 before being required to accept group health insurance coverage 27 offered by an employer. For purposes of the bill, “creditable 28 coverage” means the same as defined in Code section 513B.2. 29 The bill also provides that in applying minimum 30 participation requirements as a condition of providing health 31 insurance coverage to an employer, a carrier shall not consider 32 an employee or dependents of an employee who have other 33 creditable coverage in determining whether the applicable 34 percentage of participation is met. For purposes of the bill, 35 -1- LSB 5605YH (3) 84 av/nh 1/ 2

H.F. 2278 “carrier” means the same as defined in Code section 513B.2. 1 -2- LSB 5605YH (3) 84 av/nh 2/ 2