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By Mr. Shannon, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 747) of Charles E. Shannon, Barbara L'Italien and James B. Eldridge for legislation relative to health care finance and policy. Health Care Financing |
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 21 of chapter 118G of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2002 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word "employees", in line 2, the following words:- , and for self-employed individuals.
SECTION 2. Said section 21 of said chapter 118G, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word "six", in line 40, the following words:-
, or covering self-employed individuals.
SECTION 3. Section 2 of chapter 176J of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word "intermediary", in line 4, the following words:- ; and shall apply to health benefit plans issued to self-employed individuals.
SECTION 4. Said chapter 176J is hereby amended by striking out section 6 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 6. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the commissioner shall be authorized to approve health insurance policies submitted to the division of insurance for the purpose of being provided to eligible small businesses and self-employed individuals. Said health insurance policies shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter and may exclude coverage of mandated benefits. The commissioner shall promulgate regulations regarding eligibility criteria. Said eligibility criteria shall require that health insurance policies which exclude mandated benefits shall only be offered to small businesses which did not provide health insurance to its employees as of April 1, 1992. Said eligibility criteria may require an employer contribution of at least 50 per cent of the health insurance premium for employees. Said eligibility criteria shall also provide that small businesses shall not have any health insurance policies which exclude mandated benefits for more than a 5 year period.
SECTION 5. The commissioner of the division of insurance shall develop a program designed to make health insurance more affordable for self-employed individuals, including in the program a maximum limit on the monthly premium to be paid.