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Committee hears bill to extend teachers’ and state employees’ pilot insurance fund; sponsor to provide outcome data
Summary
The committee reviewed HB13‑62 to extend a pilot program in teacher and state employee insurance plans (covers obesity‑related procedures) and discussed redirecting unused pilot funds to the EBD reserve; members asked for historical outcome data and justification for extending to 2026.
The Insurance & Commerce Committee considered House Bill 13‑62, a bill to extend a pilot program within the teachers' insurance program and the state employee insurance program that provides funds for obesity‑related procedures (including bariatric surgery). The pilot, started 02/2011 and renewed previously, carries an annual cap of $3,000,000 for each pool.
Senator Hammer, presenting the bill, described the program's purpose — covering certain procedures tied to obesity and diabetes management — and said historical use "has never hit the cap on either side." He said he had asked staff to explore whether unused amounts could be redirected into the EBD reserve to offset costs such as prescription drug monitoring program expenses, but that redirection is not part of the current bill.
Senator Dismang and other members pressed for outcome data to assess whether the pilot produced the anticipated cost savings or health outcomes and questioned why the bill seeks an extension to 2026 (five years) rather than a shorter review cycle. The sponsor offered to produce clearer historical figures by Thursday and to bring the item back on the next agenda for further review.
The committee did not finalize changes to the pilot in the meeting; staff agreed to provide requested data and to schedule further consideration.
