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





                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                  Bill No. HB 2061

    Amendment No. 1 (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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 5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

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11  The Committee on Health Care Services offered the following:

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13         Amendment (with title amendment) 

14  Remove from the bill:  Everything after the enacting clause

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16  and insert in lieu thereof:

17         Section 1.  Section 624.215, Florida Statutes, is

18  amended to read:

19         624.215  Proposals for legislation which mandates

20  health benefit coverage; review by Legislature.--

21         (1)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--The Legislature finds that

22  there is an increasing number of proposals which mandate that

23  certain health benefits be provided by insurers and health

24  maintenance organizations as components of individual and

25  group policies.  The Legislature further finds that many of

26  these benefits provide beneficial social and health

27  consequences which may be in the public interest.  However,

28  the Legislature also recognizes that most mandated benefits

29  contribute to the increasing cost of health insurance

30  premiums.  Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to

31  conduct a systematic review of current and proposed mandated

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                  Bill No. HB 2061

    Amendment No. 1 (for drafter's use only)





 1  or mandatorily offered health coverages and to establish

 2  guidelines for such a review.  This review will assist the

 3  Legislature in determining whether mandating a particular

 4  coverage is in the public interest.

 5         (2)  DEFINITION.--For purposes of this section,

 6  "mandated health benefit" is a requirement imposed upon health

 7  benefit plans offered by health maintenance organizations or

 8  health insurers to provide their insureds, policyholders, or

 9  subscribers with coverage for specific diseases, treatments,

10  services, providers, conditions, drugs or supplies, or for

11  direct patient access to specific providers of health care

12  services.  The term "direct patient access" means the ability

13  of a subscriber, insured, or policyholder to obtain such

14  services without a referral or other authorization before

15  receiving service.  A mandated option is not a mandated

16  benefit for purposes of this section.

17         (3)(2)  MANDATED HEALTH COVERAGE; REPORT BY TO AGENCY

18  FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION AND LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES;

19  GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING IMPACT.--Any legislative proposal

20  that would establish a mandated health benefit on an insurance

21  carrier, health care service contractor, or health maintenance

22  organization as a component of individual or group policies,

23  shall be referred by the standing committee of the Legislature

24  with jurisdiction over the legislative proposal to the Agency

25  for Health Care Administration.  The agency shall prepare a

26  report assessing the social and financial impact of the

27  proposed mandated health benefit. Every person or organization

28  seeking consideration of a legislative proposal which would

29  mandate a health coverage or the offering of a health coverage

30  by an insurance carrier, health care service contractor, or

31  health maintenance organization as a component of individual

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    File original & 9 copies    03/31/00
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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                  Bill No. HB 2061

    Amendment No. 1 (for drafter's use only)





 1  or group policies, shall submit to the Agency for Health Care

 2  Administration and the legislative committees having

 3  jurisdiction a report which assesses the social and financial

 4  impacts of the proposed coverage. Guidelines for assessing the

 5  impact of a proposed mandated health benefit or mandatorily

 6  offered health coverage, to the extent that information is

 7  available, shall include:

 8         (a)  To what extent is the treatment or service

 9  generally used by a significant portion of the population.

10         (b)  To what extent is the insurance coverage generally

11  available.

12         (c)  If the insurance coverage is not generally

13  available, to what extent does the lack of coverage result in

14  persons avoiding necessary health care treatment.

15         (d)  If the coverage is not generally available, to

16  what extent does the lack of coverage result in unreasonable

17  financial hardship.

18         (e)  The level of public demand for the treatment or

19  service.

20         (f)  The level of public demand for insurance coverage

21  of the treatment or service.

22         (g)  The level of interest of collective bargaining

23  agents in negotiating for the inclusion of this coverage in

24  group contracts.

25         (h)  A report, prepared by a certified actuary, of the

26  extent to which To what extent will the coverage will increase

27  or decrease the cost of the treatment or service.

28         (i)  A report, prepared by a certified actuary, of the

29  extent to which To what extent will the coverage will increase

30  the appropriate uses of the treatment or service.

31         (j)  A report, prepared by a certified actuary, of the

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                  Bill No. HB 2061

    Amendment No. 1 (for drafter's use only)





 1  extent to which To what extent will the mandated treatment or

 2  service will be a substitute for a more expensive treatment or

 3  service.

 4         (k)  A report, prepared by a certified actuary, of the

 5  extent to which To what extent will the coverage will increase

 6  or decrease the administrative expenses of insurance companies

 7  and the premium and administrative expenses of policyholders.

 8         (l)  A report, prepared by a certified actuary, as to

 9  the impact of this coverage on the total cost of health care.

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11  The standing committee of the Legislature which has

12  jurisdiction over the legislative proposal must request and

13  receive the report required by this section from the agency

14  before the committee considers the proposal. The agency shall

15  submit the report required by this section prior to the first

16  day of the Legislative Session on any bill proposing a

17  mandated health benefit referred to the agency by the first

18  day in November preceding that Legislative Session.

19         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.

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

23  And the title is amended as follows:

24         On page 1, lines 3-14,

25  remove from the title of the bill:  all of said lines

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27  and insert in lieu thereof:

28         amending s. 624.215, F.S.; providing a

29         definition; revising reporting requirements;

30         requiring referral of proposed mandates to the

31         Agency for Health Care Administration for

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    File original & 9 copies    03/31/00
    hci0001                     03:33 pm         02061-hcs -631267




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                  Bill No. HB 2061

    Amendment No. 1 (for drafter's use only)





 1         review, including actuarial reports; providing

 2         requirements for hearing such proposals;

 3         imposing report timelines; providing an

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    File original & 9 copies    03/31/00
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