Bill > H875

This bill establishes the Massachusetts Minimum Creditable Coverage Advisory Commission, a special commission tasked with studying various aspects of health insurance in the Commonwealth. The commission will be composed of representatives from various state and federal agencies, including the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Executive Director of the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, the President of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, appointees from the Attorney General's office with expertise in employee health benefits and consumer advocacy, the Boston district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration, a small business owner, a taxpayer advocate, the President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and members appointed by the Senate President, Senate Minority Leader, Speaker of the House, and House Minority Leader. The commission's studies will include examining the possibility of changing current mandated coverage standards, exploring a system with three benefit categories (mandated coverage, mandated provider, and mandated offer) potentially modeled after Maine's program, and considering other state models that would require benefits to be offered for purchase rather than mandated. The commission is also directed to align its recommendations with federal minimum requirements from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and it must submit its findings and any proposed legislation to relevant legislative committees and clerks by June 1, 2016.