What’s in store for healthcare in Colorado this year?
Colorado Commissioner of Insurance Jim Riesberg spoke with the Colorado Group Insurance Association (CGIA) Thursday. His message was one of an open door policy with the insurance industry. Although the focus of the Colorado Division of Insurance is to “protect the consumer”, Riesberg said he understood the ever-growing importance of insurance consultants as Colorado works to build its exchange in 2012 and 2013.
“You will be heard, and
you will be welcome,” Riesberg said to CGIA attendees . “But come with solutions, not only complaints.”
As the legislative session kicked off a week ago on Wednesday, January 11th, Benefits & Incentives Group is hopeful that it will be a relatively quiet session as it pertains to health insurance. However, we expect to see some bills relating to the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange (COHBE), which was created in 2011 by Senate Bill 200. How COBHE and the Division of Insurance will partner to address upcoming requirements from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will be some of the key developments during the legislative session.
One of the earliest issues they’ll have to tackle is essential health benefits that many states were expecting the Department of Health and Human Services to address with further guidance. In a rather unexpected move, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services gave the states the authority to determine these themselves. While having more state control is welcome, it provides a forum for a lively debate on what to do with the health insurance mandates which have been passed in recent years by our state legislature.
Benefits & Incentives Group will take an active role in the 2012 session and will continue to keep you informed as things progress.
Have a thought or comment on the future of health reform for employers? Please take a moment to write your thoughts below, or contact Todd Krapf privately at tkrapf@bigroupinc.com or (303) 645-4720.
Learn more: http://doraapps.state.co.us/Insurance/Consumer/pages/main.aspx
Read about the Insurance Commissioner’s background here: http://www.dora.state.co.us/insurance/about/comm.htm
