INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE

CSMS provided oral and written testimony at the public hearing held on Thursday,  February 14, 2019.

CSMS Supports

• S.B. No. 317 AN ACT REQUIRING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR BARIATRIC AND METABOLIC SURGERY.

Read our shared with the CT Chapter of the American Collage of Surgeons testimony in support of S.B. 317.

• S.B. No. 331 AN ACT REQUIRING THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER TO CONSIDER AFFORDABILITY IN REVIEWING HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM RATE FILINGS.

Read our testimony in support of S.B. 331.

• S.B. No. 339 AN ACT REQUIRING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR ELECTIVE FERTILITY PRESERVATION TREATMENTS.

Read our shared testimony with ACOG in support of S.B. 339.

• H.B. No. 5343 AN ACT REDEFINING “THIRD-PARTY ADMINISTRATOR” TO INCLUDE PHARMACY BENEFITS MANAGERS.

Read our testimony in support of H.B. 5343.

• H.B. No. 6095 AN ACT MODIFYING REQUIRED HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR DETOXIFICATION.

Read our testimony in support of H.B. 6095.

• H.B. No. 6088 AN ACT CONCERNING DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN THIRD-PARTY ADMINISTRATOR FEES.

Read our testimony in support of H.B. 6088.

• H.B. No. 6096 AN ACT RESTRAINING CHANGES TO HEALTH INSURERS’ PRESCRIPTION DRUG FORMULARIES.

Read our testimony in support of H.B. 6096.

CSMS Supports the concepts of the following Bills:

• S.B. No. 322 AN ACT CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CONNECTICUT HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGE.

Read our full testimony here.

• S.B. No. 327 AN ACT REQUIRING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR MEDICALLY NECESSARY AMBULANCE SERVICES AT AN IN-NETWORK LEVEL AND PROHIBITING BALANCE BILLING FOR SUCH SERVICES.

Read our full testimony here.

PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE

Testimony provided on February 11, 2019.

CSMS Supports

• H.B. 7070 AN ACT CONCERNING DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING PRACTICES OF LIMITED SERVICES PREGNANCY CENTERS. 

Read the CSMS and ACOG shared testimony in Support of H.B. 7070.

CSMS Opposes

• H.B. 5442 AN ACT ADDING CHRONIC PAIN AS A DEBILITATING CONDITION FOR THE PALLIATIVE USE OF MARIJUANA BY A QUALIFYING PATIENT

Read the CSMS and Connecticut Pain Society shared testimony in opposition of H.B. 5442.

• H.B. 5654 AN ACT ALLOWING DENTISTS TO PERFORM CERTAIN FACIAL THERAPIES AS PART OF THEIR DENTAL PRACTICE

Read the CSMS, CT Society of Plastic Surgeons, CT Dermatology and Dermatological Surgery Society shared testimony in opposition to H.B. 5654.

• S.B. 46 AN ACT PROHIBITING HOSPITALS FROM CHARGING FEES FOR TRAUMA ACTIVATION

Read the CSMS and Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Surgeons shared testimony in opposition of S.B. 46.

Testimony provided on February 4, 2019

CSMS Supports

• S.B. No. 795 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS.

CSMS and the CT Chapter of the American College of Surgeons testimony in support of Senate Bill 795.

CSMS Supports with Edits

• H.B. No. 6943 (RAISED) AN ACT ALLOWING MEDICAL ASSISTANTS TO ADMINISTER VACCINES.

CSMS* testimony in support of House Bill 6943. *Joined by the CT Society of Eye Physicians, CT Dermatology Society, CT ENT Society, and the CT Urology Society.

CSMS Opposes

• Proposed S.B. 16 AN ACT PROHIBITING AN UNAUTHORIZED PELVIC EXAM ON A WOMAN WHO IS UNDER DEEP SEDATION OR ANESTHESIA

CSMS and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Connecticut Chapter (ACOG) testimony in opposition to Senate Bill 16.

• Proposed S.B. No. 45 AN ACT ADDING OPIOID USE DISORDER AND WITHDRAWAL AS A DEBILITATING MEDICAL CONDITION FOR THE PALLIATIVE USE OF MARIJUANA.

CSMS testimony in opposition to Senate Bill 45.

• H.B. No. 6942 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING A COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS AND PHYSICIANS.

CSMS testimony in opposition to House Bill 6942.

INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE

The public hearing on Thursday,  February 7, 2019, at 11:00 A.M., in Room 2D of the Legislative Office Building (LOB).  The full agenda can be found here.  Please note, the bills will be heard in the order listed in the Bulletin.

CSMS Supports

• Proposed S.B. No. 28 AN ACT CONCERNING REIMBURSEMENTS UNDER CERTAIN HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLANS.

CSMS Testimony in Support of S.B. 28

• Proposed S.B. No. 29 AN ACT CONCERNING THE BURDEN OF PROOF DURING ADVERSE DETERMINATION AND UTILIZATION REVIEWS.

CSMS Testimony in Support of S.B. 29

• Proposed S.B. No. 30 AN ACT PROHIBITING COPAYMENT ACCUMULATOR PROGRAMS.
• Proposed S.B. No. 31 AN ACT CONCERNING SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS FOR LABORATORY SERVICES.
• Proposed S.B. No. 33 AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE OF ORALLY AND INTRAVENOUSLY ADMINISTERED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

CSMS Testimony in Support of S.B 33

• Proposed S.B. No. 34 AN ACT CONCERNING SHORT-TERM HEALTH INSURANCE.

CSMS Testimony in Support of S.B. 34

• Proposed S.B. No. 36 AN ACT PROHIBITING HEALTH CARRIERS FROM REQUIRING THE USE OF STEP THERAPY FOR CERTAIN PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

CSMS Testimony in Support of S.B. 36

• Proposed S.B. No. 37 AN ACT REQUIRING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE OF PRESCRIBED DRUGS DURING ADVERSE DETERMINATION REVIEWS AND EXTERNAL REVIEW PROCESSES.

CSMS Testimony in Support of S.B. 37

• Proposed S.B. No. 38 AN ACT REDUCING THE TIME FRAME FOR URGENT CARE ADVERSE DETERMINATION REVIEW REQUESTS.

CSMS Testimony in Support of S.B, 38

• Proposed S.B. No. 39 AN ACT LIMITING CHANGES TO PRESCRIPTION DRUG FORMULARIES DURING THE TERM OF CERTAIN HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES.

CSMS Testimony in Support S.B 39

• Proposed S.B. No. 40 AN ACT REQUIRING SITE-NEUTRAL PAYMENTS FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES.

CSMS Testimony in Support of S.B 40

• Proposed S.B. No. 41 AN ACT PROHIBITING DISCRETIONARY CLAUSES IN HEALTH INSURANCE AND DISABILITY INCOME POLICIES.
• Proposed S.B. No. 42 AN ACT CONCERNING COST-SHARING UNDER HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES.

CSMS Testimony in Support of S.B 42

• Proposed S.B. No. 43 AN ACT PROHIBITING HEALTH CARRIERS FROM DENYING COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN COVERED BENEFITS PROVIDED IN HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS.

CSMS Testimony in Support of S.B, 43

• Proposed S.B. No. 87 AN ACT PROHIBITING DISCRETIONARY CLAUSES IN DISABILITY INCOME INSURANCE POLICIES.
• Proposed H.B. No. 5213 AN ACT EXPANDING REQUIRED HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR HEARING AIDS.
• Proposed H.B. No. 5518 AN ACT REQUIRING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR LONG-TERM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES.

CSMS Testimony in Support of H.B 5518

CSMS Supports with Edits

• Proposed H.B. No. 5629 AN ACT CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CONNECTICUT HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGE.