Lawmakers hear competing views on Farm Bureau health plans that would be exempt from state insurance oversight

The House Insurance Committee heard proponent testimony and opponent testimony on Senate Bill 100, which would authorize Ohio Farm Bureau to offer member health plans that would not be regulated as traditional insurance under state law.

Bill Patterson, president of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Board of Trustees, said the plans would meet a gap in coverage options for farmers who do not have employer-sponsored insurance or stable, predictable income. "These plans have a tenured track record of providing results to a niche group of consumers," Patterson said, arguing Farm Bureau plans can offer stability for agricultural families.

Patterson stated the plans would be contractual, supported by Ohio Farm Bureau resources and reinsurance, and could include access to existing provider networks. He said the proposed legislation would allow Farm Bureau to design coverage outside the traditional insurance classification; on that point he told the committee, "Because these plans would not be classified as insurance, Ohio…