Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB05-1193

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND LABOR

Votes:
Action Taken:
Moved amendment L.001 (Attachment A), which amendsPass Without Objection



02:15 PM -- House Bill 05-1193

Representative Green presented the bill, which requires small group health insurance carriers to offer the same basic and standard health plans and premiums to Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs) as offered to small employers.

02:19 PM -- Peg Brown, representing the Colorado Association of Health Plans, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Brown's organization opposes the bill because they feel the bill creates a mandate on health insurance providers. Ms. Brown responded to questions from the committee.

02:28 PM -- Tom Appelhans, representing the Colorado Group Insurance Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Appelhans testified regarding the inherent problems with MEWAs. Mr. Appelhans responded to questions from the committee.

02:38 PM -- Jerry McElroy, representing Kaiser Permanente, testified in opposition to the bill.

02:41 PM -- Marcie Miller, representing herself, testified in favor of the bill. Ms. Miller testified that she wished to speak on behalf of small businesses. She characterized the bill as a way to help keep health coverage affordable for small businesses. Ms. Miller responded to questions from the committee.

BILL:HB05-1193
TIME: 02:49:01 PM
MOVED:Paccione
MOTION:Moved amendment L.001 (Attachment A), which amends the bill on page 2, by striking line 12 and substituting "small employers based on a single, same index rate, applicable to all small employers, adjusted for the ages, geographic areas, and family compositions of the members of a multiple employer welfare arrangement." The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Butcher
VOTE
Balmer
Borodkin
Butcher
Carroll M.
Coleman
Knoedler
Liston
Massey
McCluskey
Paccione
White
Cerbo
Marshall
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection




02:51 PM

Representative Marshall discussed the need for the bill to be heard by the Commission on Mandated Health Insurance Benefits before action can be taken. Representative Green made closing remarks. Representative Marshall took the bill off the table and announced that the committee would revisit the bill at a later time for action only.