Bill Text: MS HB1070 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: State option for healthcare coverage; direct Department of Health and Insurance Department to study and present proposal to Legislature.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Failed) 2020-03-03 - Died In Committee [HB1070 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2020-HB1070-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2020 Regular Session
To: Public Health and Human Services; Insurance
By: Representatives Porter, Thompson
House Bill 1070
AN ACT TO DIRECT THE MISSISSIPPI STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE MISSISSIPPI INSURANCE DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP A PROPOSAL THAT CONSIDERS THE FEASIBILITY AND COST OF IMPLEMENTING A STATE OPTION FOR HEALTHCARE COVERAGE THAT LEVERAGES EXISTING STATE HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE, INCREASES COMPETITION, IMPROVES QUALITY, AND PROVIDES STABLE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE TO ENABLE POLICYMAKERS TO CONSIDER AN INNOVATIVE STATE OPTION FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE TO BENEFIT MISSISSIPPI; TO REQUIRE THE PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSAL DURING THE 2021 REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) The Legislature finds that:
(a) Every Mississippian deserves access to high-quality, affordable healthcare to help support his or her well-being and economic security;
(b) Healthcare insurance is not affordable due to high healthcare costs and limited or no competition among insurance carriers as well as other marketplace factors, and Mississippians cannot afford the health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses;
(c) Specifically, Mississippians in sixty-three (63) counties have access to only a single health insurance carrier, which limits competition, and the number of uninsured or underinsured Mississippians in those counties is rising;
(d) Uncertainty at the federal level requires Mississippi to explore and implement its own innovative solutions to provide greater access to affordable, high-quality healthcare coverage for Mississippi residents; and
(e) A state option for healthcare coverage that uses existing state healthcare infrastructure may decrease costs for Mississippians, increase competition, and improve access to high-quality, affordable, and efficient healthcare.
(2) In light of the findings in subsection (1) of this section, the Mississippi Legislature directs the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Insurance Department with developing a proposal that considers the feasibility and cost of implementing a state option for healthcare coverage that leverages existing state healthcare infrastructure, increases competition, improves quality, and provides stable access to affordable health insurance to enable policymakers to consider an innovative state option for health insurance coverage to benefit Mississippi.
(3) (a) On or before January 15, 2021, the Mississippi State Department of Health and Mississippi Insurance Department shall develop and submit a proposal to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees; House and Senate Public Health and Human Services Committees and House and Senate Insurance Committees, or any successor committees, for a state option for healthcare coverage that leverages existing state infrastructure.
(b) In addition to submitting the proposal to the committees of the Mississippi Legislature, the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Insurance Department shall present a summary of the proposal in a joint meeting of the House and Senate committees during the 2021 regular legislative session.
(c) The proposal must describe a state option for healthcare coverage. The proposal must identify the most effective implementation of a state option based on affordability to consumers at different income levels, administrative and financial burden to the state, ease of implementation, and likelihood of success in meeting the objectives described in subsection (1) of this section.
(d) In developing the proposal, the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Insurance Department shall:
(i) Conduct actuarial research to identify the potential cost of premiums and cost-sharing to pay claims in a plan;
(ii) Evaluate provider rates necessary to incentivize participation and encourage network adequacy and high-quality healthcare delivery;
(iii) Evaluate eligibility criteria for individuals and small businesses to participate;
(iv) Determine the impact, if any, on the state budget;
(v) Determine the impact of the stability of the individual market, the small group market, and Medicaid;
(vi) Evaluate the impact on consumers eligible for financial assistance;
(vii) Determine whether a state option plan should be offered on or off exchange;
(viii) Determine whether the state option plan should be a fully at-risk, managed care, fee-for-service, or accountable care collaborative plan, or combination thereof;
(ix) Determine whether the state option plan should be offered through the Mississippi State Department of Health;
(x) Investigate funding options, including but not limited to state funds and federal funds;
(xi) Evaluate the feasibility, legality, and scope of any necessary federal waivers;
(xii) Review information relating to any pilot program that may be operated by state personnel; and
(xiii) Create a statewide definition of affordability for consumers.
(e) In developing the proposal, the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Insurance Department shall create a stakeholder process that includes public and private health insurance experts, as well as consumers, consumer advocates, employers, providers, and carriers. The proposal submitted to the committees of the Mississippi Legislature pursuant to this section must include detailed analysis of the proposed state option and the various methods of implementing the proposed state option, as well as any identified statutory or rule changes necessary to implement the state option.
(f) After the proposal created pursuant to this section is submitted and presented to the committees of the Mississippi Legislature, the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Insurance Department shall prepare state plan amendments necessary to fund and implement the state option for healthcare coverage as described in the proposal created pursuant to this section.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2020.
