PRINTER'S NO. 1525
No. 1401 Session of 1993
INTRODUCED BY JOSEPHS, MANDERINO, RICHARDSON, BISHOP, OLIVER, CARN, ROEBUCK, WILLIAMS, JAMES, THOMAS, HUGHES, BUTKOVITZ, DONATUCCI, ACOSTA, FREEMAN, TRICH, STURLA, STETLER, ARGALL, SEMMEL, DENT, ULIANA, D. W. SNYDER, HARLEY AND L. I. COHEN, APRIL 21, 1993
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE, APRIL 21, 1993
AN ACT 1 Providing for the establishment of a joint task force between 2 the Department of Health and the Department of Public Welfare 3 to develop and implement on a pilot basis a health insurance 4 continuation program for insured people with acquired 5 immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency 6 virus (HIV); and making an appropriation. 7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 8 hereby enacts as follows: 9 Section 1. Short title. 10 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Health 11 Insurance Continuation Act. 12 Section 2. Legislative findings. 13 The General Assembly finds and declares that an insurance 14 continuation program would lessen dependency on public 15 assistance by forestalling or eliminating the need for 16 individuals with the AIDS/HIV virus from impoverishing 17 themselves to become eligible for Medicaid due to the loss of 18 private insurance coverage, thereby permitting individuals with
1 AIDS/HIV to maintain rewarding part-time or full-time work. An 2 insurance continuation program spreads the cost of health care 3 among private insurance carriers, publicly supported Medicaid 4 and Medicare programs and the patient. An insurance continuation 5 program is a cost-effective means of assisting persons with AIDS 6 and HIV who have private insurance by saving the Commonwealth $9 7 in Medicaid costs for every $1 invested in an insurance 8 continuation program. 9 Section 3. Definitions. 10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 12 context clearly indicates otherwise: 13 "Departments." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth 14 and/or the Department of Public Welfare of the Commonwealth. 15 "Task force." The Health Insurance Continuation Joint Task 16 Force of the Department of Health and the Department of Public 17 Welfare created by this act. 18 Section 4. Establishment of Health Insurance Continuation Joint 19 Task Force. 20 (a) Composition.--The task force shall be comprised of the 21 following 11 members: 22 (1) The Secretary of the Department of Health or a 23 designee. 24 (2) The Secretary of the Department of Public Welfare or 25 a designee. 26 (3) Two representatives from nonprofit organizations 27 providing services to individuals with the AIDS/HIV virus, to 28 be appointed by the President of the Senate. 29 (4) Two representatives from the insurance industry to 30 be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate. 19930H1401B1525 - 2 -
1 (5) Two representatives from AIDS/HIV service 2 organizations to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of 3 Representatives. 4 (6) Two representatives of a nonprofit hospital plan 5 corporation or a representative of a nonprofit professional 6 health service plan to be appointed by the Governor. 7 (7) The Insurance Commissioner of the Commonwealth or a 8 designee. 9 Section 5. Purpose. 10 The purpose of the task force is to develop and implement on 11 a pilot basis a health insurance continuation program to be 12 administered by the Department of Health. 13 Section 6. Duties of task force. 14 The task force shall: 15 (1) Identify persons with AIDS/HIV that may lose private 16 health insurance coverage due to unemployment or inability to 17 pay. 18 (2) Determine financial eligibility criteria for 19 participation in the program. 20 (3) Determine for eligible participants appropriate 21 procedures for prompt payment of the insurance premiums. 22 (4) Designate appropriate departmental staff who are 23 sensitive to the unique needs of the program's participants 24 to manage the health insurance continuation program. 25 (5) Report to the Committee on Health and Welfare in the 26 Senate and the House of Representatives at least once a year 27 during the existence of the pilot program. 28 (6) Promulgate regulations for the administration of the 29 health insurance continuation program within six months after 30 the effective date of this act. 19930H1401B1525 - 3 -
1 Section 7. Confidentiality protection. 2 To ensure the confidentiality of eligible participants the 3 task force shall establish guidelines for Commonwealth employees 4 administering this act. 5 Section 8. Appropriation. 6 The sum of $50,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, 7 is hereby appropriated to the Health Insurance Continuation 8 Joint Task Force for the fiscal year July 1, 1993, to June 30, 9 1994, for premiums. This appropriation shall be a three-year 10 continuing appropriation and shall be allocated so that $50,000 11 is expended in each of the three fiscal years. 12 Section 9. Effective date. 13 This act shall take effect in 60 days. D6L35RZ/19930H1401B1525 - 4 -