Bill Text: IL HB5035 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Consumer Health Insurance Counsel Act. Creates the independent Office of Consumer Health Insurance Counsel for the purpose of representing the interests of health insurance consumers. Sets forth provisions concerning the appointment and qualifications of and prohibited activities regarding the position of Consumer Health Insurance Counsel. Provides that the Consumer Health Insurance Counsel may assess the impact of insurance rates, rules, and forms on consumers and shall advocate positions determined to be most advantageous to a substantial number of insurance consumers. Sets forth additional provisions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2013-01-08 - Session Sine Die [HB5035 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-HB5035-Introduced.html

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97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2011 and 2012 HB5035 Introduced 2/7/2012, by Rep. Mary E. Flowers SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
Creates the Consumer Health Insurance Counsel Act. Creates the independent Office of Consumer Health Insurance Counsel for the purpose of representing the interests of health insurance consumers. Sets forth provisions concerning the appointment and qualifications of and prohibited activities regarding the position of Consumer Health Insurance Counsel. Provides that the Consumer Health Insurance Counsel may assess the impact of insurance rates, rules, and forms on consumers and shall advocate positions determined to be most advantageous to a substantial number of insurance consumers. Sets forth additional provisions.
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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning insurance.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Consumer Health Insurance Counsel Act.
Section 5. Definitions. For the purposes of this Act:
"Department" means the Department of Insurance.
"Director" means the Director of Insurance.
"Office" means the Office of Consumer Health Insurance
Counsel.
Section 10. Office of Consumer Health Insurance Counsel.
The independent Office of Consumer Health Insurance Counsel is
created for the purpose of representing the interests of health
insurance consumers in Illinois.
Section 15. Appointment; term. The Governor, with the
advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint a Consumer
Health Insurance Counsel to serve as director of the Office.
The term of the Consumer Health Insurance Counsel shall be 4
years.
Section 20. Qualifications. To be eligible to serve as

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Consumer Health Insurance Counsel, a person must:
(1) be an attorney licensed to practice in Illinois;
(2) have demonstrated a strong commitment to and
involvement in efforts to safeguard the rights of the public;
and
(3) possess the knowledge and experience necessary to
practice effectively in insurance proceedings.
Section 25. Business interest prohibitions. A person is not
eligible for appointment as Consumer Health Insurance Counsel
or for employment as an Assistant Consumer Health Insurance
Counsel with the Office if the person or the person's spouse:
(1) is employed by or participates in the management of
a business entity or other organization regulated by or
receiving funds from the Department;
(2) owns or controls, directly or indirectly, an
interest in a business entity or other organization
regulated by or receiving funds from the Department; or
(3) uses or receives a substantial amount of tangible
goods, services, or funds from the Department or the
Office, other than compensation or reimbursement
authorized by law for Department or Office membership,
attendance, or expenses.
Section 30. Lobbying activities. A person may not serve as
Consumer Health Insurance Counsel or act as Assistant Consumer

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Health Insurance Counsel if the person is required to register
as a lobbyist under the Lobbyist Registration Act because of
the person's activities for compensation related to the
operation of the Department or the Office.
Section 35. Grounds for removal. The Consumer Health
Insurance Counsel shall be removed from the position by the
appointing officer if he or she:
(1) does not have at the time of appointment or
maintain during service as Consumer Health Insurance
Counsel the qualifications required by Section 20 of this
Act;
(2) violates a prohibition established by Section 25 of
this Act; or
(3) cannot, because of illness or disability,
discharge the Consumer Health Insurance Counsel's duties
for a substantial part of the Consumer Health Insurance
Counsel's term.
Section 40. Revolving door prohibition. No former Consumer
Health Insurance Counsel or Assistant Consumer Health
Insurance Counsel or spouse or immediate family member living
with such person, shall, within a year after the date the
person ceases to serve as Consumer Health Insurance Counsel or
Assistant Consumer Health Insurance Counsel, represent any
person or receive compensation for services rendered on behalf

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of any party involved in a matter in which the Consumer Health
Insurance Counsel or Assistant Consumer Health Insurance
Counsel participated personally and substantially before the
Director, the Department, or any State health insurance rate
review board in the year immediately preceding the date the
person ceases to serve as Consumer Health Insurance Counsel or
Assistant Consumer Health Insurance Counsel.
Section 45. Prohibitions against political activities.
(a) No Consumer Health Insurance Counsel or employee of the
Office may, during his or her term of appointment or
employment:
(1) become a candidate for any elective office;
(2) hold any other elected or appointed public office,
except for appointments on governmental advisory boards or
study commissions or as otherwise expressly authorized by
law;
(3) be actively involved in the affairs of any
political party or political organization; or
(4) advocate for the appointment of another person to
an appointed or elected office or position or actively
participate in any campaign for any elective office.
(b) In this Section, "appointed public office" means a
position authorized by law that is filled by an appointing
authority as provided by law and does not include employment by
hiring in the ordinary course of business.

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(c) No Consumer Health Insurance Counsel or employee of the
Office may, for one year after the termination of his or her
employment:
(1) become a candidate for any elective office;
(2) hold any elected public office; or
(3) hold any appointed State, county, or local judicial
office.
(d) The requirements of item (3) of subsection (a) of this
Section may be waived by the Executive Ethics Commission.
Section 50. Office personnel. The Office shall be comprised
of the Consumer Health Insurance Counsel and such Assistant
Consumer Health Insurance Counsels and other staff as are
deemed necessary to implement this Act.
Section 55. Powers and duties. The Office:
(1) may assess the impact of insurance rates, rules,
and forms on health insurance consumers in this State; and
` (2) shall advocate in the Office's own name positions
determined by the Consumer Health Insurance Counsel to be
most advantageous to a substantial number of insurance
consumers.
Section 60. Authority to appear, intervene, or initiate.
The Consumer Health Insurance Counsel:
(1) may appear or intervene, as a party or otherwise,

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as a matter of right before the Director, the Department,
or any State health insurance rate review board on behalf
of insurance consumers, as a class, in matters involving
rates, rules, and forms affecting accident and health
insurance policies, managed care plans, and health plans
offered by health maintenance organizations;
(2) may initiate or intervene as a matter of right or
otherwise appear in a judicial proceeding involving or
arising from an action taken by an administrative agency in
a proceeding in which the Consumer Health Insurance Counsel
previously appeared under the authority granted by this
Section; and
(3) may appear or intervene, as a party or otherwise,
as a matter of right on behalf of insurance consumers as a
class in any proceeding in which the Consumer Health
Insurance Counsel determines that insurance consumers are
in need of representation, except that he or she may not
intervene in an enforcement or parens patriae proceeding
brought by the Attorney General.
Section 65. Intervention. The Consumer Health Insurance
Counsel may not intervene or appear in:
(1) any proceeding or hearing before the Director or
Department, or any other proceeding, that relates to
approval or consideration of an individual charter,
license, certificate of authority, acquisition, merger, or

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examination; or
(2) any proceeding concerning the solvency of an
individual insurer, a financial issue, a policy form,
advertising, or another regulatory issue affecting an
individual insurer or agent.
Section 70. Recommendation of legislation. The Consumer
Health Insurance Counsel may recommend legislation to the
legislature that the Consumer Health Insurance Counsel
determines would positively affect the interests of insurance
consumers.