Employer size and wages affect health coverage

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

The Connecticut Legislature has – for the most part – completed its business with the conclusion of the Special Session on Thursday, June 28, 2007. The Legislature completed its regular business on June 6, 2007, and found it necessary to have a special session in order to adopt a budget and tax package and bills to implement the budget. 

During the regular session, the Legislature adopted a major health care reform bill, SB 1484 (Public Act 07-185) an act concerning the HealthFirst Connecticut and Health Kids Initiative. This bill is a combination of the Speaker of the House and the Senate President’s health care initiatives. The bill contains several initiatives including:

• Expanding the Husky Program, which is the Medicaid Managed Care Program
• Increasing rates for physicians and hospitals under the Medicaid Fee for Service program
• Increasing the dependent coverage age to 26 regardless of student status
• Increasing the sale of Special Health Care Plans for small groups who hire low income employees

During the Special Session, the Legislature passed a few changes to SB 1484 including:

• Changing the effective date of the dependent care coverage from October 1, 2007, to January 1, 2009, and applying it to group and individual coverage
• Establishing a mandate for insurers to cover lead paint screening for children at various times during the child’s life when ordered by a physician
• Stating the Commissioner of Social Services will issue an RFP for the Charter Oak Plan, which is the Governor’s plan for individual coverage for all Connecticut residents who are between the ages of 19 and 64, guarantee issue with no pre-ex applied and a premium of $250 per month

The Legislature also passed several other pieces of legislation during the regular session, including:

• Passing a bill that requires carriers to obtain approval from the Insurance Commissioner before rescinding a member in certain insistences (SB 1214)
• Expanding the age for coverage of specialized infant formula from 8 to 12 months (SB 66) 
• Expanding the cancer clinical trials mandate to have in-network and out-of-network treated the same (SB 389)

While the Legislature did pass several health care initiatives, they didn’t pass some of the more controversial proposals that were considered even as late as the last day of session. Some of those proposals were creation of a single payor system in Connecticut; and a mandate on all towns to purchase insurance for their employees through a state administered purchase pool.

The Connecticut Legislature may go back into session again over the summer, but it will be primarily to take up a bonding and transportation package.

 

BACK TO TOP OF PAGE

CT 2007 Legislative Update on health coverage rules

HMO Average Rate Hike for 2008-- 10.7%

When to notify employees of benefit changes

Back to Home Page