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Senate committee hears bill to let Ohio Farm Bureau offer alternative health plan
Summary
Senator Manchester gave sponsor testimony to the Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology Committee on Senate Bill 100, which would allow members of the Ohio Farm Bureau to enroll in an individually evaluated, self‑funded health plan that sponsors say would be exempt from Affordable Care Act regulation.
Senator Manchester gave sponsor testimony to the Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology Committee on Senate Bill 100, which would allow members of the Ohio Farm Bureau to enroll in an individually evaluated, self‑funded health plan that sponsors say would be exempt from Affordable Care Act regulation.
The bill, Manchester said, "creates an opportunity for a more affordable health care coverage plan for members of Ohio Farm Bureau who are currently without health care coverage," and was presented as an additional option for farming households and other Ohioans who do not qualify for ACA subsidies.
Supporters said the plan would address a coverage gap among farm families and small agricultural operations. Manchester described Ohio agriculture as a large statewide industry and said many farmers work off the farm to obtain health insurance; he cited nationwide examples where Farm Bureau plans are already in use, saying Tennessee has offered similar plans since 1993 and other states including Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas have implemented comparable models.
Manchester characterized the Farm Bureau plan as "an individually evaluated plan, self governing and self funded, for members of Farm Bureau, making the plan exempt from regulation and not subject to the Affordable Care Act," and told the committee enrollees would retain consumer protections and options to seek recourse if necessary.
Committee members asked for clarification about the bill's scope. Senator Duong asked whether other agricultural groups could benefit from the approach or whether the bill is written specifically for the Ohio Farm Bureau. Manchester replied the bill is designed for Farm Bureau members but said some members of other agricultural organizations participate in Farm Bureau and indicated he could provide more detail about provisions that allow the creation of such plans.
No committee vote was recorded; the hearing for Senate Bill 100 concluded after sponsor testimony and questions. The committee moved on to other items on the agenda.
This was the first hearing for Senate Bill 100 before the Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology Committee.
