SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2013 SESSION

  • | print version

SB 924 Virginia Health Benefit Exchange; created, report.

Introduced by: John C. Watkins | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

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 beginning with effective dates on January 1, 2014, which date may be postponed by the SCC as it deems necessary to permit the completion of the establishment of the Exchange. 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 Exchange shall ensure that no qualified health insurance plan that is sold or offered for sale through the Exchange provides coverage for abortions, except for an abortion performed (i) when the life of the mother is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, or (ii) when the pregnancy is the result of an alleged act of rape or incest. The measure also 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 power to review and approve rates is a condition to the SCC being found to be an effective regulator of such rates, which finding is a requirement for its operation of a state-run health benefit exchange.


FULL TEXT

HISTORY