Health insurance, basic; increasing availability thereof in State. (SB1411)
Introduced By
Sen. John Watkins (R-Midlothian) with support from co-patron Sen. Frank Ruff (R-Clarksville)
Progress
√ |
Introduced |
√ |
Passed Committee |
√ |
Passed House |
√ |
Passed Senate |
√ |
Signed by Governor |
√ |
Became Law |
Description
Availability of basic health insurance. Allows health insurers to offer and sell group health insurance policies or contracts that do not include state mandated health insurance benefits to employers with 50 or fewer employees if the employer has not offered health insurance coverage to its employees during the preceding six months. Such a group policy or contract may include any, or none, of the state-mandated health benefits as the health insurer and the qualified small employer agree. The measure also provides that a person that obtained a certificate of public need for a medical care facility subject to an agreement to provide charity care may satisfy such conditions by making direct payments to an entity that is authorized to receive payments satisfying charity care conditions or to a private nonprofit foundation that funds basic health insurance coverage to indigents pursuant to a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Health. Finally, the measure states that a health insurance policy or subscription contract may include caps or limits on the total annual or lifetime benefits provided thereunder at specified dollar amounts. Amends § 32.1-102.4 (“Conditions of certificates; monitoring; revocation of certificates.”), § 38.2-3406.1 (“Application of requirements that policies offered by small employers include state-mandated health benefits.”), § 38.2-3406.2 (“Capped benefits under insurance policies and contracts.”), § 38.2-4214 (“(Effective until July 1, 2014) Application of certain provisions of law.”), of the Code of Virginia. View Full Text »
Comments
The Virginia Interfaith Center opposes this bill.