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Senate adopts technical amendment and advances broad health system reform substitute
Summary
The Senate adopted an insurance-department technical amendment and passed the third substitute of House Bill 144, a comprehensive health system reform package that includes an actuarial study authorization, autism coverage clarifications, and reauthorization of the Health Systems Reform Task Force.
Senators debated and approved amendments to the third substitute of House Bill 144, a broad health-system reform measure that the sponsor described as the product of interim work by the Health Systems Reform Task Force.
Senator Niederhauser outlined key elements: authorization of an actuarial analysis of providing coverage to individuals up to 200% of the federal poverty level (a post-2014 consideration), a prohibition on insurers denying coverage based on an indirect autism diagnosis, allowance for dental and vision policies on the health exchange, and reauthorization of the Health Systems Reform Task Force. He explained a technical amendment requested by the Insurance Department (Amendment 1) clarifying audit language for the bill; the amendment was adopted, and the bill as amended was substituted and approved by the Senate and will be forwarded to the House for further consideration.
Floor supporters praised the task-force process. The Senate recorded the bill as substituted and amended and will send it back to the House for consideration of the Senate’s changes.
Next steps: The House will consider the Senate’s substitutions and amendments; sponsors and the task force will continue stakeholder engagement and implementation planning for coverage and autism provisions.
