Bill > HB1161

This bill establishes a process for analyzing the impact of proposed legislation that affects health benefit plans, which are insurance plans that cover healthcare services. The Legislative Service Bureau, a legislative staff agency, will submit bills containing "mandates"—requirements for health plans to cover specific services, providers, or treatments, or to implement new administrative processes—to the Oklahoma Insurance Department for review. The Department has 60 days to produce a report detailing the social impact, including public health issues and affected populations; the medical efficacy, based on scientific evidence and expert input; and the financial impact, such as effects on premiums, insurer costs, and the insurance market. The Department can hire outside experts and consult other state agencies for this analysis. To manage the workload, the Legislative Service Bureau is limited to submitting six such bills for analysis per fiscal year, with additional submissions requiring written approval from the Insurance Commissioner. Once completed, the Bureau must provide copies of the report to the bill's author and committee chair, and make it publicly available online. This new law will take effect on November 1, 2026.

Government Affairs

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb1161&Session=2600