HB 193 -- Health Insurance

Sponsor:  Luetkemeyer

This bill creates the Mandated Health Benefit Review Commission.
The commission will review all health insurance coverage mandates
currently required by law and any such mandates offered by
legislators in the future.  The commission must file a report
with the General Assembly by January 2005 detailing any proposed
changes to those mandates currently in law.  Any bill containing
a health insurance coverage mandate must be evaluated by the
commission before the law can be enacted.

The bill sets forth an extensive list of issues that the
commission must address when it reviews any proposed mandate.
The commission will be composed of the directors of the
departments of Insurance and Health and Senior Services, two
members of the House of Representatives, and two members of the
Senate, all of whom serve as ex-officio members.  The Governor
will appoint six voting members to the commission who will
include two individuals representing employers, two employees who
pay for a portion of their health insurance, and two individuals
who purchase their own health insurance.

The bill also removes all of the mandated coverages from the
Limited Mandate Health Insurance Law.  Under current law, health
insurers may sell a less expensive health insurance policy that
does not include many of the coverages that are mandated by law.
This "limited mandate" policy contains nine mandated coverage
areas.  The bill removes those nine mandated coverages, which
include maternity stays in the hospital, mammograms,
immunizations, PKU coverage, and coverage for adopted children.
The bill also removes language that restricts the marketing of
limited coverage to people who do not have health insurance.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:11 am