Committee lays over bipartisan plan for state to defray future health-insurance mandate costs

The House Commerce, Finance and Policy Committee on Feb. 20 laid over House File 400 after an extensive discussion about health-insurance mandates, the Department of Commerce's review process and the potential premium effects of new coverage requirements. Representative Perryman introduced the bipartisan measure and said the bill would require the state to defray costs for any new health-benefit mandates placed on the fully insured market (individual, small-group and large-group) after a Commerce review determines whether a mandate is defrayable.

"One of the ways in which the legislature can help to address concerns about the cost of health insurance is taking a different approach to health insurance mandates," Perryman said. She emphasized that mandates help people but also add cost, and described HF 400 as a tool to protect enrollees from paying higher premiums when the Legislature imposes new required benefits.

Julia Dreyer, deputy commissioner of insurance at…