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Committee advances repeal of small-employer high-risk pooling law to reflect changed marketplace
Summary
The Senate Commerce Committee advanced House Bill 116, a proposal to repeal sections of Idaho code tied to the Idaho Small Employer Health Insurance Availability Act, which proponents said is no longer used following federal changes from the Affordable Care Act.
The Senate Commerce Committee voted to send House Bill 116 to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation. Director Dean Cameron of the Idaho Department of Insurance told the committee the 1993 Idaho Small Employer Health Insurance Availability Act created a state-seeded risk pool to help small employers obtain coverage; those functions have largely been superseded by changes in the federal Affordable Care Act.
"That act was put in place at a time when small employers had a difficulty in trying to find coverage," Director Dean Cameron said. He said the pool was last seeded by a carrier in 2016, the pool has not been used in recent years and statutory audit/assessment requirements remain in code. House Bill 116 would repeal the now-circumstantial code sections in Title 41 that underpin the program.
Cameron said the statutory language appears in multiple places in Title 41, chapter 47, and the bill is lengthy because the provisions are intertwined. He said Department staff had discussed the bill with the high-risk pool board and Senator Guthrie would carry the bill on the Senate floor.
There was no public opposition at the committee hearing. Senator Guthrie moved and Senator Bernd (second) moved the committee action; the committee took a voice vote and the motion carried. House Bill 116 will proceed to the Senate floor for further consideration.
