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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 3, 2021 10:09 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Robert Freeman |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Authorize SWIF to offer health insurance as a public option |
| In the near future, I intend to introduce legislation to allow the State Workers’ Insurance Fund (SWIF) to offer health insurance as a public option, it would make a quality insurance product available to Pennsylvanians at a lower cost than current private insurance rates because of its lower administrative overhead. Currently, SWIF is only able to sell Workers Compensation Insurance. This legislation would permit them the ability to offer a quality, affordable health insurance policy that will not have any income requirement and is not subsidized by the Commonwealth. This will offer several advantages to our constituents. First, it will offer a quality health insurance product that will be less expensive than the current rates due to lower administrative costs. Second, it will create more competition within the health insurance market by providing a public option. Finally, the presence of a SWIF health insurance product in the market place will serve as a yard stick by which to measure the fairness of rates charged by private health insurance companies. Health insurance rates continue to increase. I believe that this proposal will effectively bring health care policies back to an affordable range for the average Pennsylvanian and Pennsylvania businesses by offering a less costly alternative to the current private health insurance plans offered today. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB2168