RECKER SUPPORTS HIGH RISK POOL IN TESTIMONY BEFORE HOUSE HEALTHCARE ACCESS & AFFORDABILTY COMMITTEE

As you are aware, during the past two sessions of the Ohio General Assembly, OAHU was responsible for the introduction of legislation to implement a high risk pool in Ohio.  While we have continued to advocate for a high risk pool much of the recent debate at the Statehouse has focused on how Ohio can significantly reduce the number of uninsured Ohioans. In this regard, the Strickland Administration has set a goal of insuring 500,000 more individuals by 2011.  OAHU has continued to say that a first step to broader health care reform is the implementation of a high risk pool.  A high risk pool will stabilize Ohio’s individual and small group markets setting the stage for additional efforts to reduce the number of uninsured Ohioans.

This position is starting to resonant with some legislators, and has resulted in Representative Jim Raussen amending his H.B. 456 to include a high risk pool.  The high risk pool would replace the I-Ohio Reinsurance Program that was mentioned in last week’s OAHU “Legislative Week in Review.”

At Representative Raussen’s request OAHU provided proponent testimony last Thursday in the House Healthcare Access & Affordability Committee on the high risk pool provisions of the new substitute version of H.B. 456. OAHU Legislative Committee member Dennis Recker provided the testimony and pointed out that the high risk pool provisions are very similar to the high risk pool legislation promoted by OAHU in the two previous sessions of the General Assembly.  This was a great opportunity for Denny to educate the committee on how a high risk pool would be established and operated.  While the substitute bill includes $10 million of funding for the high risk pool, through the current insurer premium tax, this is only a fraction of the funding needed to establish and operate a high risk pool.  This was a great day for OAHU, however, we still have much work to do to see the high risk pool become a reality.

SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HEALTH CARE BOARD APPROVES 4 BEST PRACTICES STANDARDS TO SUBMIT TO JCARR

On Tuesday, May 13th, the School Employees Health Care Board (SEHCB) approved four Best Practices standards.  The standards require all health care plans offered to public school employees to include:

1. Employee Wellness Program
2. Disease State Management program
3. Access to institutions and providers who have clinically demonstrated superior health care for complex medical conditions.
4. Dependent Eligibility Audits

The four standards will now be submitted to the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review for approval.  In the coming months, the SEHCB will be considering adoption of additional Best Practices standards, including standards relating to agent compensation.

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