Date: 03/06/2006

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB06-1346

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND LABOR

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Moved amendment L.002 (Attachment C). The motion Pass Without Objection



03:08 PM -- House Bill 06-1346

Representative McGihon, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 1346 and distributed a fact sheet about the bill (Attachment B). She stated that the bill would expand the current definition of a dependent to include a dependent's minor child if the dependent is financially dependent upon his or her parents, or has the same legal residence as the parents. She discussed amendment L.002 that would require the minor child to be financially dependent upon and have the same legal residence as the parent of the dependent (Attachment C).

03:14 PM -- Donnah Moody, representing the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, testified in opposition to the bill. She stated that the bill comes at a time when businesses are struggling to provide affordable health care to their employees.

03:15 PM -- Ralph Pollock, representing the Business Council for Health Care Competition with the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry (CACI), testified in opposition to the bill. He distributed a handout (Attachment D). He stated that House Bill 1346 is a mandate that should have been sent to the Commission on Mandated Health Insurance Benefits where the bill's potential impact could be assessed. Mr. Pollock talked about the impacts of House Bill 05-1101 that was passed last session that expanded the definition of dependent to include an unmarried child who is not a full-time student that is financially dependent upon the parents, or lives at the same legal residence as his or her parents. He stated there is a lot of fraud and abuse with this type of legislation because financially dependent is not defined anywhere in statute. There was committee discussion about the increase in employer health care costs that could stem from the bill. Mr. Pollock was asked how many companies currently offer this type of coverage.

03:21 PM -- Michael Huotari, representing the Colorado Association of Health Plans, testified in opposition to the bill. He stated that under the current system, the employer chooses the dependent coverage. He responded to a committee question about a previous statement that children's health care costs are minimal.

03:26 PM -- Jerry McElroy, representing Kaiser Permanente, testified in opposition to the bill. He stated that currently Kaiser allows grandchildren to be added as a dependent at the discretion of the carrier with approval of the employee. However, Kaiser has different qualifications than those proposed in the bill. Mr. McElroy spoke about some of those differences.
BILL:HB06-1346
TIME: 03:33:20 PM
MOVED:Marshall
MOTION:Moved amendment L.002 (Attachment C). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Carroll M.
VOTE
Balmer
Borodkin
Butcher
Carroll M.
Coleman
Knoedler
Liston
McCluskey
Paccione
Penry
Welker
Cerbo
Marshall
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection




03:37 PM

The chair pulled the bill off the table in order for the mandate commission to review the bill.