H0746B2004A01817     JKL:JMM  06/16/09     #90        A01817

AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL NO. 746

Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE DeLUCA

Printer's No. 2004

1

Amend Bill, page 24, line 17, by striking out "300gg-91)" and

2

inserting

3

300GG)

4

Amend Bill, page 24, line 26, by striking out "benefits plan"

5

and inserting

6

benefit plans

7

Amend Bill, page 25, line 6, by striking out "care"

8

Amend Bill, page 27, line 30, by striking out "300gg-91" and

9

inserting

10

300gg

11

Amend Bill, page 28, lines 6 and 7, by striking out all of

12

said lines and inserting

13

"Rating geographic average rate."  The arithmetical average

14

of the lowest premium and the corresponding highest premium to

15

be charged by an insurer in the service area where the insurer

16

offers small employer health benefit plans or where the insurer

17

has a provider network.

18

Amend Bill, page 29, line 8, by striking out the underscored

19

comma

20

Amend Bill, page 29, lines 19 and 20, by striking out "The

21

department shall consult" in line 19 and all of line 20

22

Amend Bill, page 31, by inserting between lines 2 and 3

23

(d)  Standard plan bulletin.--The department shall issue a

24

standard plan bulletin.

1

(e)  Consulting with insurers.--Prior to issuance of a

2

bulletin, the department shall consult with insurers concerning

3

the development of a standard plan bulletin.

4

(f)  Open meetings.--Meetings held under subsection (b) shall

5

be open to the public.

6

(g)  Publication.--The department shall publish the proposed

7

standard plan bulletin in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and solicit

8

public comments for a minimum of 30 days. After consideration of

9

the comments it receives, the department may proceed to adopt

10

the final standard plan bulletin by publication in the

11

Pennsylvania Bulletin. The department shall include its

12

responses to the public comments that it received concerning the

13

proposed bulletin.

14

Amend Bill, page 31, line 12, by striking out "300gg-91" and

15

inserting

16

300GG

17

Amend Bill, page 31, line 23, by inserting after "a"

18

rating

19

Amend Bill, page 31, line 24, by inserting after "the"

20

rating

21

Amend Bill, page 31, line 25, by inserting after "The" where

22

it occurs the second time

23

rating

24

Amend Bill, page 31, line 27, by inserting after "its"

25

rating

26

Amend Bill, page 32, line 3, by inserting after "the"

27

rating

28

Amend Bill, page 32, line 28, by inserting after "the"

29

rating

30

Amend Bill, page 32, line 30, by striking out "who 

31

participates in" and inserting

32

group who completes

33

Amend Bill, page 33, line 1, by striking out ". The wellness

34

program must satisfy" and inserting

35

that satisfies

36

Amend Bill, page 33, line 3, by striking out "and published"

1

and inserting

2

. The departments will publish the minimum standards

3

Amend Bill, page 33, line 6, by striking out "146.121F" and

4

inserting

5

146.121

6

Amend Bill, page 34, line 2, by striking out "has not

7

operated efficiently or"

8

Amend Bill, page 38, line 16, by inserting after "year,"

9

the department may require

10

Amend Bill, page 38, line 17, by striking out "SHALL" and

11

inserting

12

to

13

Amend Bill, page 38, line 23, by inserting after "year,"

14

the department may require

15

Amend Bill, page 38, line 24, by striking out "SHALL" and

16

inserting

17

to

18

Amend Bill, page 38, line 28, by striking out "unavailable"

19

and inserting

20

not available from the annual statement blank

21

Amend Bill, page 38, line 29, by striking out "Amount" and

22

inserting

23

Total amount

24

Amend Bill, page 39, line 2, by striking out "Amount" and

25

inserting

26

Total amount

27

Amend Bill, page 39, line 3, by striking out "Amount" and

28

inserting

29

Total amount

1

Amend Bill, page 39, line 5, by striking out "NET" and

2

inserting

3

Total net

4

Amend Bill, page 39, line 9, by striking out "unavailable"

5

and inserting

6

not available from the annual statement blank

7

Amend Bill, page 39, line 13, by striking out "Number" and

8

inserting

9

Total number

10

Amend Bill, page 39, line 14, by striking out "Number" and

11

inserting

12

Total number

13

Amend Bill, page 39, line 19, by inserting after "dividing"

14

total

15

Amend Bill, page 39, line 19, by inserting after "by" where

16

it occurs the second time

17

total

18

Amend Bill, page 39, line 22, by inserting after "dividing"

19

total

20

Amend Bill, page 39, line 23, by inserting after "by"

21

total

22

Amend Bill, page 40, line 1, by striking out "unavailable"

23

and inserting

24

not there available

25

Amend Bill, page 40, line 4, by striking out "Number" and

26

inserting

27

Total number

28

Amend Bill, page 40, line 7, by striking out "Number" and

29

inserting

30

Total number

1

Amend Bill, page 41, lines 14 through 22, by striking out

2

"Exemption.--Except for the regulations promulgated under" in

3

line 14 and all of lines 15 through 22 and inserting

4

Authority.--The department may promulgate regulations as

5

necessary for the implementation of this act.

6

Amend Bill, page 41, lines 24 through 30; page 42, lines 1 

7

through 3, by striking out all of said lines on said pages and

8

inserting

9

(a)  Formation authority.--A group of two or more small

10

employers may form a purchasing group for the purpose of

11

purchasing a small group health benefit plan provided for under

12

this article from an insurer.

13

(b)  Certification.--No insurance policy may be issued,

14

delivered or renewed to a purchasing group unless that

15

purchasing group has a valid certification from the department.

16

(c)  Regulations.--The department may promulgate regulations,

17

including certification requirements, as necessary for the

18

implementation and administration of this section.

19

(d)  Minimum number in group.--The regulations may establish

20

a minimum number of small employers that may form and

21

participate in a purchasing group. The regulations may also

22

provide that individuals may participate in a purchasing group.

23

(e)  Certification subject to criteria.--Unless certification

24

requirements are promulgated, certification under this

25

subsection shall be subject to the criteria set forth in section

26

621.2(a)(5.1).

27

(f)  Applicability.--The provisions of this section shall

28

apply notwithstanding the provisions of section 621.2(a)(2).

29

Amend Bill, page 42, lines 18 and 19, by striking out all of

30

said lines