SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2022 SESSION
HB 884 Group health benefit plans; sponsoring associations, formation of benefits consortium, definitions.
Introduced by: Kathy J. Byron | all patrons ... notes | add to my profiles
SUMMARY AS PASSED: (all summaries)
Group health benefit plans; bona fide associations; formation of benefits consortium. Provides that certain trusts constitute a benefits consortium and are authorized to sell health benefit plans to members of a sponsoring association that (i) has been formed and maintained in good faith for purposes other than obtaining or providing health benefits; (ii) does not condition membership in the sponsoring association on any factor relating to the health status of an individual, including an employee of a member of the sponsoring association or a dependent of such an employee; (iii) makes any health benefit plan available to all members regardless of any factor relating to the health status of such members or individuals eligible for coverage through a member; (iv) does not make any health benefit plan available to any person who is not a member of the association; (v) makes available health plans or health benefit plans that meet requirements provided for in the bill; (vi) operates as a nonprofit entity under § 501(c)(5) or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code; and (vii) has been in active existence for at least five years. The bill replaces references to "bona fide association," as used in provisions applicable to health care plans in the small employer market, with the term "sponsoring association."
The bill requires any health benefit plan issued by a self-funded multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA) that covers one or more employees of one or more small employers to (a) provide essential health benefits and cost-sharing requirements; (b) offer a minimum level of coverage designed to provide benefits that are actuarially equivalent to 60 percent of the full actuarial value of the benefits provided under the plan; (c) not limit or exclude coverage for an individual by imposing a preexisting condition exclusion on that individual; (d) be prohibited from establishing discriminatory rules based on health status related to eligibility or premium or contribution requirements as imposed on health carriers; (e) meet the renewability standards set forth for health insurance issuers; (f) establish base rates formed on an actuarially sound, modified community rating methodology that considers the pooling of all participant claims; and (g) utilize each employer member's specific risk profile to determine premiums by actuarially adjusting above or below established base rates, and utilize either pooling or reinsurance of individual large claimants to reduce the adverse impact on any specific employer member's premiums.
The bill prohibits a self-funded MEWA from issuing health benefit plans in the Commonwealth until it has obtained a license pursuant to regulations promulgated by the State Corporation Commission. The bill authorizes the Commission to adopt regulations applicable to self-funded MEWAs, including regulations addressing financial condition, solvency requirements, and the exclusion of self-funded MEWAs from the Virginia Life, Accident and Sickness Insurance Guaranty Association. This bill is identical to SB 195.
FULL TEXT
- 01/12/22 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/12/22 22102747D pdf | impact statement
- 01/27/22 House: Committee substitute printed 22105399D-H1 pdf | impact statement
- 02/21/22 Senate: Committee substitute printed 22106785D-S1 pdf | impact statement
- 03/02/22 House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB884ER) pdf | impact statement
- 04/11/22 Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0404) pdf
AMENDMENTS
- House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
- Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
HISTORY
- 01/12/22 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/12/22 22102747D
- 01/12/22 House: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Energy
- 01/27/22 House: Reported from Commerce and Energy with substitute (14-Y 8-N)
- 01/27/22 House: Committee substitute printed 22105399D-H1
- 01/31/22 House: Read first time
- 02/01/22 House: Read second time
- 02/01/22 House: Committee substitute agreed to 22105399D-H1
- 02/01/22 House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB884H1
- 02/02/22 House: Read third time and passed House (58-Y 39-N)
- 02/02/22 House: VOTE: Passage (58-Y 39-N)
- 02/03/22 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed
- 02/03/22 Senate: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
- 02/21/22 Senate: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (15-Y 0-N)
- 02/21/22 Senate: Committee substitute printed 22106785D-S1
- 02/23/22 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)
- 02/24/22 Senate: Read third time
- 02/24/22 Senate: Reading of substitute waived
- 02/24/22 Senate: Committee substitute agreed to 22106785D-S1
- 02/24/22 Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute HB884S1
- 02/24/22 Senate: Passed Senate with substitute (40-Y 0-N)
- 02/28/22 House: Senate substitute agreed to by House 22106785D-S1 (64-Y 33-N)
- 02/28/22 House: VOTE: Adoption (64-Y 33-N)
- 03/02/22 House: Enrolled
- 03/02/22 House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB884ER)
- 03/02/22 House: Signed by Speaker
- 03/03/22 Senate: Signed by President
- 03/11/22 House: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2022
- 03/11/22 Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 11, 2022
- 04/11/22 Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 404 (effective 7/1/22)
- 04/11/22 Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0404)