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House debate over catastrophic mental-health coverage ends with bill sent to Rules committee
Summary
Representative Judy Ann Buffmeier presented substitute HB 35 to establish a catastrophic mental-health coverage floor; sponsors cited actuarial estimates of roughly a 1.5% premium increase. After amendment proposals and partisan debate, the House voted to refer the second substitute to the Rules Committee.
Representative Judy Ann Buffmeier introduced second-substitute House Bill 35 on Feb. 18 as a "catastrophic" mental-health coverage proposal intended to create a minimum parity floor for insurance benefits.
Buffmeier told colleagues the bill is "a nonmandated, cost effective, minimum standard for mental health benefits that will protect families and employers from the catastrophic financial and work productivity losses of mental illness." She and supporters repeatedly cited actuarial estimates that the catastrophic approach would increase premiums by about 1.5 percent, which proponents argued would be offset by savings in medical and societal costs.
Members pressed on several points. Opponents warned about singling out conditions for mandated coverage and the cost burdens on businesses. Representative Don Bush said he "cannot support this bill," arguing that the Legislature should not force insurers to cover specific illnesses at others’ expense. Supporters told personal stories and highlighted suicide and treatment-access concerns; Representative Hansen said the bill "has an opportunity to save lives." Representative Tricia Beck recounted a constituent forced onto public assistance because insurance did not cover mental-health care.
Representative Bennion moved a set of amendments (amendment #8) that would, among other changes, exempt employers with fewer than 50 employees, separate out-of-pocket limits and exclude alcohol/substance-abuse coverage. Buffmeier argued those changes would "gut the bill" by removing the small-employer protections the bill targets.
After extended debate and a substitute motion to return the measure to the Rules Committee, the House voted to refer second-substitute HB 35 to Rules for further consideration. No final passage vote on the bill occurred on this floor day; the referral means sponsors and opponents will continue negotiations and possible revision before the bill returns to the floor.
