COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS DAN ROSTENKOWSKI, Illinois, Chairman SAM M. GIBBONS, Florida CHARLES B. RANGEL, New York THOMAS J. DOWNEY, New York ROBERT T. MATSUI, California BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JIM MCDERMOTT, Washington BILL ARCHER, Texas GUY VANDER JAGT, Michigan DICK SCHULZE, Pennsylvania BILL GRADISON, Ohio BILL THOMAS, California RAYMOND J. MCGRATH, New York ROD CHANDLER, Washington E. CLAY SHAW, JR., Florida DON SUNDQUIST, Tennessee W344 Press release of Monday, March 2, 1992, announcing the hearing Families USA, Judith Waxman 178 Freezor, Allen D., North Carolina Department of Insurance.. 172 American Society of Internal Medicine, statement... Golden Rule Insurance Co., Indianapolis, Inc., Lee Tooman, statement. hoyx 300092 PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM LEGISLATION THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1992 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10 a.m., in room 1100, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Fortney Pete Stark (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. [The press release announcing the hearing, and copies of the bills, H.R. 2121, H.R. 1565, and H.R. 3626, follow:] (1) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS RELEASE #24 SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THE HONORABLE PETE STARK (D., CALIF.) CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The Honorable Pete Stark (D., Calif.), Chairman, Subcommittee on Health, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, announced today that the Subcommittee will hold a hearing on private health insurance reform legislation, including H.R. 2121, introduced by Chairman Stark; H.R. 1565, introduced by Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Chandler, et al; and, H.R. 3626, introduced by Chairman Rostenkowski, Mr. Matsui, Mr. Pease, Mr. Ford of Tennessee, et al. The hearing will be held on Thursday, March 12, 1992, beginning at 10:00 a.m., in the main Committee hearing room, 1100 Longworth House Office Building. Oral testimony will be heard from invited witnesses only. However, any individual or organization may submit a written statement for consideration by the Subcommittee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing. BACKGROUND Various practices of the insurance industry appear to increase the problems faced by employers in purchasing health insurance. The wide use of experience rating to set premiums, as opposed to community rating, may increase prices to some small businesses. Other underwriting practices which may increase the difficulties of small business in purchasing insurance include exclusion of pre-existing conditions, large rate increases for firms with older workers or where a worker or dependent has the misfortune to contract a serious illness, segregation of workers with high risks from group rates, coverage denials, and refusals to renew insurance. Testimony will be heard on three proposals before the Committee relating to reform of the private health insurance system. H.R. 2121, introduced by Chairman Stark, would require all insurance companies to offer community-rated policies on a continuous open-enrollment basis. Rate variation would not be allowed within a Metropolitan Statistical Area. Medical underwriting would not be allowed. Pre-existing condition exclusions would be limited. Insurers would be required to offer a minimum benefit plan. Companies which did not meet the standards would be subject to an excise tax. H.R. 1565, introduced by Mrs. Johnson, would require the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (N.A.I.C.) to develop model regulations regarding the small group health insurance market (businesses with 3 to 25 employees.) If the N.A.I.C. did not act, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services would develop the standards. States would be expected to adopt the standards and, if within 18 months a State did not act, the Secretary would enforce the standards. (MORE) |