Committee examines bill to align state employee health plan with ACA to curb premium growth

Senator Jonathan Warrie, representing District 22, presented Senate Bill 2160 to the Appropriations Committee, saying the measure would "revise the definition of health insurance benefits coverage to be a non grandfathered plan." The bill would align the state employee plan with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and let PERS (Public Employees Retirement System) change plan mechanics such as maximum out-of-pocket levels.

Supporters told the committee they expect the change to create options to slow premium growth. Warrie and the bill author, Senator Kyle Davidson, cited industry bid data indicating a potential offset between higher benefits and lower premiums: Davidson said the state’s next bids could push implementation to 2027 and that while the fiscal note lists an increase in benefits of roughly $27 million over a full biennium, the official fiscal note for the '27–'29 biennium showed about $6.6 million because the bill’s timing would affect only a partial biennium. Warrie said the committee spent substantial time on the bill and gave it a 10–3 due-pass…