CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.





                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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10                                                                

11  Senator Scott moved the following amendment:

12

13         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 

14         On page 11, line 30, through page 27, line 26,delete

15  those lines

16

17  and insert:

18         (e)  Hire employees or contract with qualified,

19  independent third parties for any service necessary to carry

20  out the board's powers and duties, as authorized under ss.

21  408.70-408.7045. However, the board may not hire an insurance

22  agent who engages in activities on behalf of the alliance for

23  which an insurance agent's license is required by chapter 626.

24         (f)  Perform any of the activities that may be

25  performed by a regional board under subsection (6), subject to

26  coordination with the regional boards to avoid duplication of

27  effort.

28         (8)  Each regional board of the alliance may:

29         (a)  Establish conditions of alliance membership

30  consistent with the minimum requirements established by the

31  state board.

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1         (b)  Provide to alliance members standardized

 2  information for comparing health plans offered through the

 3  alliance.

 4         (c)  Offer health plans to alliance members, subject to

 5  the terms and conditions agreed to by the state board and

 6  participating health insurers.

 7         (d)  Market and publicize the coverage and services

 8  offered by the alliance.

 9         (e)  Collect premiums from alliance members on behalf

10  of participating health insurers.

11         (f)  Assist members in resolving disputes between

12  health insurers and alliance members, consistent with

13  grievance procedures required by law.

14         (g)  Set reasonable fees for alliance membership,

15  services offered by the alliance, and late payment of premiums

16  by alliance members for which the alliance is responsible.

17         (h)  Receive and accept grants, loans, advances, or

18  funds from any public or private agency, and receive and

19  accept, from any source, contributions of money, property,

20  labor, or any other thing of value.

21         (i)  Hire employees or contract with qualified,

22  independent third parties for any service necessary to carry

23  out the regional board's powers and duties as authorized under

24  ss. 408.70-408.7045. However, a regional board may not hire an

25  insurance agent who engages in activities on behalf of the

26  alliance for which an insurance agent's license is required by

27  chapter 626. 

28         (9)  No state agency may expend or provide funds to the

29  Alliance that would subsidize the pricing of health insurance

30  policies for its members, unless the Legislature specifically

31  authorizes such expenditure.

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1         (6)  Each community health purchasing alliance has the

 2  following powers, duties, and responsibilities:

 3         (a)  Establishing the conditions of alliance membership

 4  in accordance with ss. 408.70-408.706.

 5         (b)  Providing to alliance members clear, standardized

 6  information on each accountable health partnership and each

 7  health plan offered by each accountable health partnership,

 8  including information on price, enrollee costs, quality,

 9  patient satisfaction, enrollment, and enrollee

10  responsibilities and obligations; and providing accountable

11  health partnership comparison sheets in accordance with agency

12  rule to be used in providing members and their employees with

13  information regarding standard, basic, and specialized

14  coverage that may be obtained through the accountable health

15  partnerships.

16         (c)  Annually offering to all alliance members all

17  accountable health partnerships and health plans offered by

18  the accountable health partnerships which meet the

19  requirements of ss. 408.70-408.706, and which submit a

20  responsive proposal as to information necessary for

21  accountable health partnership comparison sheets, and

22  providing assistance to alliance members in selecting and

23  obtaining coverage through accountable health partnerships

24  that meet those requirements.

25         (d)  Requesting proposals for the standard and basic

26  health plans, as defined in s. 627.6699, from all accountable

27  health partnerships in the district; providing, in the format

28  required by the alliance in the request for proposals, the

29  necessary information for accountable health partnership

30  comparison sheets; and offering to its members health plans of

31  accountable health partnerships which meet those requirements.

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1         (e)  Requesting proposals from all accountable health

 2  partnerships in the district for specialized benefits approved

 3  by the alliance board based on input from alliance members,

 4  determining if the proposals submitted by the accountable

 5  health partnerships meet the requirements of the request for

 6  proposals, and offering them as options through riders to

 7  standard plans and basic plans.  This paragraph does not limit

 8  an accountable health partnership's ability to offer other

 9  specialized benefits to alliance members.

10         (f)  Distributing to health care purchasers, placing

11  special emphasis on the elderly, retail price data on

12  prescription drugs and their generic equivalents, durable

13  medical equipment, and disposable medical supplies which is

14  provided by the agency pursuant to s. 408.063(3) and (4).

15         (g)  Establishing administrative and accounting

16  procedures for the operation of the alliance and members'

17  services, preparing an annual alliance budget, and preparing

18  annual program and fiscal reports on alliance operations as

19  required by the agency.

20         (h)  Developing and implementing a marketing plan to

21  publicize the alliance to potential members and associate

22  members and developing and implementing methods for informing

23  the public about the alliance and its services.

24         (i)  Developing grievance procedures to be used in

25  resolving disputes between members and the alliance and

26  disputes between the accountable health partnerships and the

27  alliance.  Any member of, or accountable health partnership

28  that serves, an alliance may appeal to the agency any

29  grievance that is not resolved by the alliance.

30         (j)  Ensuring that accountable health partnerships have

31  grievance procedures to be used in resolving disputes between

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1  members and an accountable health partnership.  A member may

 2  appeal to the alliance any grievance that is not resolved by

 3  the accountable health partnership.  An accountable health

 4  partnership that is a health maintenance organization must

 5  follow the grievance procedures established in ss. 408.7056

 6  and 641.31(5).

 7         (k)  Maintaining all records, reports, and other

 8  information required by the agency, ss. 408.70-408.706, or

 9  other state and local laws.

10         (l)  Receiving and accepting grants, loans, advances,

11  or funds from any public or private agency; and receiving and

12  accepting contributions, from any source, of money, property,

13  labor, or any other thing of value.

14         (m)  Contracting, as authorized by alliance members,

15  with a qualified, independent third party for any service

16  necessary to carry out the powers and duties required by ss.

17  408.70-408.706.

18         (n)  Developing a plan to facilitate participation of

19  providers in the district in an accountable health

20  partnership, placing special emphasis on ensuring

21  participation by minority physicians in accountable health

22  partnerships if such physicians are available.  The use of the

23  term "minority" in ss. 408.70-408.706 is consistent with the

24  definition of "minority person" provided in s. 288.703(3).

25         (o)  Ensuring that any health plan reasonably available

26  within the jurisdiction of an alliance, through a preferred

27  provider network, a point of service product, an exclusive

28  provider organization, a health maintenance organization, or a

29  pure indemnity product, is offered to members of the alliance.

30  For the purposes of this paragraph, "pure indemnity product"

31  means a health insurance policy or contract that does not

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1  provide different rates of reimbursement for a specified list

 2  of physicians and a "point of service product" means a

 3  preferred provider network or a health maintenance

 4  organization which allows members to select at a higher cost a

 5  provider outside of the network or the health maintenance

 6  organization.

 7         (p)  Petitioning the agency for a determination as to

 8  the cost-effectiveness of collecting premiums on behalf of

 9  participating accountable health partnerships.  If determined

10  by the agency to be cost-effective, the alliance may establish

11  procedures for collecting premiums from members and distribute

12  them to the participating accountable health partnerships.

13  This may include the remittance of the share of the group

14  premium paid by both an employer and an enrollee.  If an

15  alliance assumes premium collection responsibility, it shall

16  also assume liability for uncollected premium.  This liability

17  may be collected through a bad debt surcharge on alliance

18  members to finance the cost of uncollected premiums. The

19  alliance shall pay participating accountable health

20  partnerships their contracting premium amounts on a prepaid

21  monthly basis, or as otherwise mutually agreed upon.

22         (7)  Each alliance shall set reasonable fees for

23  membership in the alliance which will finance all reasonable

24  and necessary costs incurred in administering the alliance.

25         (9)(8)  Each regional board alliance shall annually

26  report to the state board on the operations of the alliance in

27  that region, including program and financial operations, and

28  shall provide for annual internal and independent audits.

29         (10)(9)  The alliance, the state board, and regional

30  boards A community health purchasing alliance may not engage

31  in any activities for which an insurance agent's license is

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1  required by chapter 626.

 2         (11)(10)  The powers and responsibilities of the a

 3  community health purchasing alliance with respect to

 4  purchasing health plans services from health insurers

 5  accountable health partnerships do not extend beyond those

 6  enumerated in ss. 408.70-408.7045 ss. 408.70-408.706.

 7         (12)  The Office of the Auditor General may audit and

 8  inspect the operations and records of the alliance.

 9         Section 4.  Section 408.703, Florida Statutes, is

10  amended to read:

11         408.703  Small employer members of the alliance

12  community health purchasing alliances; eligibility

13  requirements.--

14         (1)  The board agency shall establish conditions of

15  participation in the alliance for small employers, as defined

16  in s. 627.6699, which must include, but need not be limited

17  to:

18         (a)  Assurance that the group is a valid small employer

19  and is not formed for the purpose of securing health benefit

20  coverage. This assurance must include requirements for sole

21  proprietors and self-employed individuals which must be based

22  on a specified requirement for the time that the sole

23  proprietor or self-employed individual has been in business,

24  required filings to verify employment status, and other

25  requirements to ensure that the individual is working.

26         (b)  Assurance that the individuals in the small

27  employer group are employees and have not been added for the

28  purpose of securing health benefit coverage.

29         (2)  The agency may not require a small employer to pay

30  any portion of premiums as a condition of participation in an

31  alliance.

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1         (2)(3)  The board agency may require a small employer

 2  seeking membership to agree to participate in the alliance for

 3  a specified minimum period of time, not to exceed 1 year.

 4         (4)  If a member small employer offers more than one

 5  accountable health partnership or health plan and the employer

 6  contributes to coverage of employees or dependents of the

 7  employee, the alliance shall require that the employer

 8  contribute the same dollar amount for each employee,

 9  regardless of the accountable health partnership or benefit

10  plan chosen by the employee.

11         (5)  An employer that employs 30 or fewer employees

12  must offer at least 2 accountable health partnerships or

13  health plans to its employees, and an employer that employs 31

14  or more employees must offer 3 or more accountable health

15  partnerships or health plans to its employees.

16         (3)(6)  Notwithstanding any other law, if a small

17  employer member loses eligibility to purchase health care

18  through the a community health purchasing alliance solely

19  because the business of the small employer member expands to

20  more than 50 and less than 75 eligible employees, the small

21  employer member may, at its next renewal date, purchase

22  coverage through the alliance for not more than 1 additional

23  year.

24         Section 5.  Section 408.704, Florida Statutes, 1998

25  Supplement, is amended to read:

26         408.704  Agency duties and responsibilities related to

27  the alliance community health purchasing alliances.--

28         (1)  The agency shall supervise the operation of the

29  alliance. assist in developing a statewide system of community

30  health purchasing alliances.  To this end, the agency is

31  responsible for:

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1         (1)  Initially and thereafter annually certifying that

 2  each community health purchasing alliance complies with ss.

 3  408.70-408.706 and rules adopted pursuant to ss.

 4  408.70-408.706. The agency may decertify any community health

 5  purchasing alliance if the alliance fails to comply with ss.

 6  408.70-408.706 and rules adopted by the agency.

 7         (2)  The agency shall conduct Providing administrative

 8  startup funds.  Each contract for startup funds is limited to

 9  $275,000.

10         (3)  Conducting an annual review of the performance of

11  the each alliance to ensure that the alliance is in compliance

12  with ss. 408.70-408.7045 ss. 408.70-408.706. To assist the

13  agency in its review, the each alliance shall submit,

14  quarterly, data to the agency, including, but not limited to,

15  employer enrollment by employer size, industry sector,

16  previous insurance status, and count; number of total eligible

17  employers in the alliance district participating in the

18  alliance; number of insured lives by county and insured

19  category, including employees, dependents, and other insured

20  categories, represented by alliance members; profiles of

21  potential employer membership by county; premium ranges for

22  each health insurer accountable health partnership for

23  alliance member categories; type and resolution of member

24  grievances; membership fees; and alliance financial

25  statements.  A summary of this annual review shall be provided

26  to the Legislature and to each alliance.

27         (4)  Developing accountable health partnership

28  comparison sheets to be used in providing members and their

29  employees with information regarding the accountable health

30  partnership.

31         (5)  Establishing a data system for accountable health

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1  partnerships.

 2         (a)  The agency shall establish an advisory data

 3  committee comprised of the following representatives of

 4  employers, medical providers, hospitals, health maintenance

 5  organizations, and insurers:

 6         1.  Two representatives appointed by each of the

 7  following organizations:  Associated Industries of Florida,

 8  the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of

 9  Independent Businesses, and the Florida Retail Federation;

10         2.  One representative of each of the following

11  organizations:  the Florida League of Hospitals, the

12  Association of Voluntary Hospitals of Florida, the Florida

13  Hospital Association, the Florida Medical Association, the

14  Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, the Florida

15  Chiropractic Association, the Florida Chapter of the National

16  Medical Association, the Association of Managed Care

17  Physicians, the Florida Insurance Council, the Florida

18  Association of Domestic Insurers, the Florida Association of

19  Health Maintenance Organizations; and

20         3.  One representative of governmental health care

21  purchasers and three consumer representatives, to be appointed

22  by the agency.

23         (b)  The advisory data committee shall issue a report

24  and recommendations on each of the following subjects as each

25  is completed.  A final report covering all subjects must be

26  included in the final Florida Health Plan to be submitted to

27  the Legislature on December 31, 1993.  The report shall

28  include recommendations regarding:

29         1.  Types of data to be collected.  Careful

30  consideration shall be given to other data collection projects

31  and standards for electronic data interchanges already in

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1  process in this state and nationally, to evaluating and

 2  recommending the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of various

 3  data collection activities, and to ensuring that data

 4  reporting is necessary to support the evaluation of providers

 5  with respect to cost containment, access, quality, control of

 6  expensive technologies, and customer satisfaction analysis.

 7  Data elements to be collected from providers include prices,

 8  utilization, patient outcomes, quality, and patient

 9  satisfaction.  The completion of this task is the first

10  priority of the advisory data committee. The agency shall

11  begin implementing these data collection activities

12  immediately upon receipt of the recommendations, but no later

13  than January 1, 1994.  The data shall be submitted by

14  hospitals, other licensed health care facilities, pharmacists,

15  and group practices as defined in s. 455.654(3)(f).

16         2.  A standard data set, a standard cost-effective

17  format for collecting the data, and a standard methodology for

18  reporting the data to the agency, or its designee, and to the

19  alliances.  The reporting mechanisms must be designed to

20  minimize the administrative burden and cost to health care

21  providers and carriers.  A methodology shall be developed for

22  aggregating data in a standardized format for making

23  comparisons between accountable health partnerships which

24  takes advantage of national models and activities.

25         3.  Methods by which the agency should collect,

26  process, analyze, and distribute the data.

27         4.  Standards for data interpretation.  The advisory

28  data committee shall actively solicit broad input from the

29  provider community, carriers, the business community, and the

30  general public.

31         5.  Structuring the data collection process to:

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1         a.  Incorporate safeguards to ensure that the health

 2  care services utilization data collected is reviewed by

 3  experienced, practicing physicians licensed to practice

 4  medicine in this state;

 5         b.  Require that carrier customer satisfaction data

 6  conclusions are validated by the agency;

 7         c.  Protect the confidentiality of medical information

 8  to protect the patient's identity and to protect the privacy

 9  of individual physicians and patients.  Proprietary data

10  submitted by insurers, providers, and purchasers are

11  confidential pursuant to s. 408.061; and

12         d.  Afford all interested professional medical and

13  hospital associations and carriers a minimum of 60 days to

14  review and comment before data is released to the public.

15         6.  Developing a data collection implementation

16  schedule, based on the data collection capabilities of

17  carriers and providers.

18         (c)  In developing data recommendations, the advisory

19  data committee shall assess the cost-effectiveness of

20  collecting data from individual physician providers.  The

21  initial emphasis must be placed on collecting data from those

22  providers with whom the highest percentages of the health care

23  dollars are spent: hospitals, large physician group practices,

24  outpatient facilities, and pharmacies.

25         (d)  The agency shall, to the maximum extent possible,

26  adopt and implement the recommendations of the advisory data

27  committee.  The agency shall report all recommendations of the

28  advisory data committee to the Legislature and submit an

29  implementation plan.

30         (e)  The travel expenses of the participants of the

31  advisory data committee must be paid by the participant or by

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1  the organization that nominated the participant.

 2         (6)  Collecting, compiling, and analyzing data on

 3  accountable health partnerships and providing statistical

 4  information to alliances.

 5         (7)  Receiving appeals by members of an alliance and

 6  accountable health partnerships whose grievances were not

 7  resolved by the alliance.  The agency shall review these

 8  appeals pursuant to chapter 120.  Records or reports submitted

 9  as a part of a grievance proceeding conducted as provided for

10  under this subsection are confidential and exempt from the

11  provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State

12  Constitution. Records or reports of patient care quality

13  assurance proceedings obtained or made by any member of a

14  community health purchasing alliance or any member of an

15  accountable health partnership and received by the agency as a

16  part of a proceeding conducted pursuant to this subsection are

17  confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I

18  of the State Constitution. Portions of meetings held pursuant

19  to the provisions of this subsection during which records held

20  confidential pursuant to the provisions of this subsection are

21  discussed are exempt from the provisions of s. 286.011 and s.

22  24(b), Art. I of the State Constitution.  All portions of any

23  meeting closed to the public shall be recorded by a certified

24  court reporter.  For any portion of a meeting that is closed,

25  the reporter shall record the times of commencement and

26  termination of the meeting, all discussion and proceedings,

27  the names of all persons present at any time, and the names of

28  all persons speaking.  No portion of the closed meeting shall

29  be off the record.  The court reporter's notes shall be fully

30  transcribed and given to the appropriate records custodian

31  within a reasonable time after the meeting.  A copy of the

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1  original transcript, with information otherwise confidential

 2  or exempt from public disclosure redacted, shall be made

 3  available for public inspection and copying 3 years after the

 4  date of the closed meeting.

 5         Section 6.  Section 408.7045, Florida Statutes, is

 6  amended to read:

 7         408.7045  Community health purchasing Alliance

 8  marketing requirements.--

 9         (1)  The Each alliance shall use appropriate,

10  efficient, and standardized means to notify members of the

11  availability of sponsored health coverage from the alliance.

12         (2)  The Each alliance shall make available to members

13  marketing materials that accurately summarize the benefit

14  plans that are offered by its health insurer accountable

15  health partnerships and the rates, costs, and accreditation

16  information relating to those plans.

17         (3)  Annually, the alliance shall offer each member

18  small employer all accountable health partnerships available

19  in the alliance and provide them with the appropriate

20  materials relating to those plans.  The member small employer

21  may choose which health benefit plans shall be offered to

22  eligible employees and may change the selection each year.

23  The employee may be given options with regard to health plans

24  and the type of managed care system under which his or her

25  benefits will be provided.

26         (4)  An alliance may notify the agency of any marketing

27  practices or materials that it finds are contrary to the fair

28  and affirmative marketing requirements of the program.  Upon

29  the request of an alliance, the agency shall request the

30  Department of Insurance to investigate the practices and the

31  Department of Insurance may take any action authorized for a

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1  violation of the insurance code or the Health Maintenance

 2  Organization Act.

 3         Section 7.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (6) of section

 4  627.6699, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to

 5  read:

 6         627.6699  Employee Health Care Access Act.--

 7         (6)  RESTRICTIONS RELATING TO PREMIUM RATES.--

 8         (b)  For all small employer health benefit plans that

 9  are subject to this section and are issued by small employer

10  carriers on or after January 1, 1994, premium rates for health

11  benefit plans subject to this section are subject to the

12  following:

13         1.  Small employer carriers must use a modified

14  community rating methodology in which the premium for each

15  small employer must be determined solely on the basis of the

16  eligible employee's and eligible dependent's gender, age,

17  family composition, tobacco use, or geographic area as

18  determined under paragraph (5)(j) (5)(k).

19         2.  Rating factors related to age, gender, family

20  composition, tobacco use, or geographic location may be

21  developed by each carrier to reflect the carrier's experience.

22  The factors used by carriers are subject to department review

23  and approval.

24         3.  Small employer carriers may not modify the rate for

25  a small employer for 12 months from the initial issue date or

26  renewal date, unless the composition of the group changes or

27  benefits are changed. However, a small employer carrier may

28  modify the rate one time prior to 12 months after the initial

29  issue date for a small employer who enrolls under a previously

30  issued group policy that has a common anniversary date for all

31  employers covered under the policy, if the carrier discloses

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1  to the employer in a clear and conspicuous manner the date of

 2  the first renewal and the fact that the premium may increase

 3  on or after that date and if the insurer demonstrates to the

 4  department that efficiencies in administration are achieved

 5  and reflected in the rates charged to small employers covered

 6  under the policy.

 7         4.  A small employer carrier may issue a policy to a

 8  group association with rates that reflect a premium credit for

 9  expense savings attributable to administrative activities

10  being performed by the group association, if these expense

11  savings are specifically documented in the carrier's rate

12  filing and are approved by the department. Any such credit may

13  not be based on different morbidity assumptions or on any

14  other factor related to the health status or claims experience

15  of the group or its members. Carriers participating in the

16  alliance program, in accordance with ss. 408.700-408.707, may

17  apply a different community rate to business written in that

18  program.

19         (c)  For all small employer health benefit plans that

20  are subject to this section, that are issued by small employer

21  carriers before January 1, 1994, and that are renewed on or

22  after January 1, 1995, renewal rates must be based on the same

23  modified community rating standard applied to new business.

24         (d)  Notwithstanding s. 627.401(2), this section and

25  ss. 627.410 and 627.411 apply to any health benefit plan

26  provided by a small employer carrier that provides coverage to

27  one or more employees of a small employer regardless of where

28  the policy, certificate, or contract is issued or delivered,

29  if the health benefit plan covers employees or their covered

30  dependents who are residents of this state.

31         Section 8.  Sections 408.7041, 408.7042, 408.7055, and

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 1556

    Amendment No.    





 1  408.706, Florida Statutes, are repealed.

 2

 3  (Redesignate subsequent sections.)

 4

 5

 6  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

 7  And the title is amended as follows:

 8         On page 1, line 29, through page 2, line 12, delete

 9  those lines

10

11  and insert:

12         Administration; amending s. 408.7045, F.S.;

13         revising marketing requirements of the

14         alliance; amending s. 627.6699, F.S.; revising

15         restrictions related to premium rates for small

16         employer health benefit plans; repealing ss.

17         408.7041, 408.7042, 408.7055, 408.706, F.S.,

18         relating to anti-trust protection, relating to

19         purchasing coverage for state employees and

20         Medicaid recipients through community health

21         purchasing alliances, relating to the

22         establishment of practitioner advisory groups

23         by the Agency for Health Care Administration,

24         and relating to requirements for accountable

25         health partnerships; providing an effective

26         date.

27

28

29

30

31

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