Virginia Health Benefit Exchange; established and operated by new division within SCC. (HB292)

Introduced By

Del. Mark Sickles (D-Alexandria)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Virginia Health Benefit Exchange. Creates the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange, which will be established and operated by a new division within the State Corporation Commission (SCC). The Exchange shall facilitate the purchase and sale of qualified health plans and qualified dental plans to qualified individuals and qualified employers. The Exchange shall make qualified plans available to qualified individuals and qualified employers by January 1, 2016, unless the SCC postpones this date. The bill authorizes the SCC to review and approve accident and sickness insurance premium rates applicable to health benefit plans in the individual and small group markets and health benefit plans providing health insurance coverage in the individual market through certain non-employer group plans. The Exchange will be funded by assessments on health insurers offering plans in the Exchange. A health plan will not be required to cover any state-mandated health benefit if federal law does not require it to be covered as part of the essential benefits package. The essential health benefits are items and services included in the benchmark health insurance plan, which is the largest plan in the largest product in the Commonwealth's small group market as supplemented in order to provide coverage for the items and services within the statutory essential health benefits categories. The SCC may contract with other eligible entities and enter into memoranda of understanding with other agencies of the Commonwealth to carry out any of the functions of the Exchange, including agreements with other states or federal agencies to perform joint administrative functions. Such contracts are not subject to the Virginia Public Procurement Act ( 2.2-4300 et seq.). Read the Bill »

Status

02/04/2014: Failed to Pass in Committee

History

DateAction
12/31/2013Committee
12/31/2013Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/14 14101335D
12/31/2013Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/03/2014Impact statement from DPB (HB292)
02/04/2014Passed by indefinitely in Commerce and Labor