Insurance department seeks to dissolve CHAND, sets timeline to move members to ACA marketplace

The North Dakota Insurance Department urged the Senate Industry and Business Committee to approve legislation that would allow the state to discontinue the Comprehensive Health Association of North Dakota, the small high‑risk pool known as CHAND.

Crystal Bartuska, life and health and Medicare division director for the North Dakota Insurance Department, told the committee the department supports Senate Bill 2032 and that the bill creates a new section in chapter 26.1 to allow CHAND to be discontinued and to set deadlines for winding down remaining policies.

The change matters because CHAND is a legacy program created to provide coverage to people who formerly were denied coverage because of preexisting conditions. Bartuska said enrollment is low and the Affordable Care Act has guaranteed issue in the individual market, meaning fewer people rely on CHAND today.…