Promoting individual choice in health care.

WORKING DRAFT
2018
State of Wyoming
18LSO-0202
Numbered
1.3

Senate

JOINT RESOLUTION
NO.

SJ0005

Promoting individual choice in health care.

Sponsored by:
Senator(s) Peterson

A JOINT RESOLUTION

for

A JOINT RESOLUTION requesting Congress and Wyoming’s Congressional delegation to endorse use of health savings accounts and reinsurance programs to promote individual choice in health care; to support federal legislation lifting impediments and endowing states with authority to establish health care cost and saving mechanisms; to encourage application for a state innovation waiver of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requirements; and to promote health care billing transparency protocols.

WHEREAS,
Wyoming residents and businesses
suffer
from
burdensome
health insurance costs
resulting from
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
requirements
, medical cost inflation
,
cost shifting
and hidden pricing practices;

and

WHEREAS, federal restrictions impede Wyoming
and other states
from implementing health care cost and saving measures to make health care
more
affordable and
accessible to
our residents
;
and

WHEREAS, uncompensated care results in health care providers shifting
uncompensated
costs to
insured
patients
through billing add
‑
ons
;
and

WHEREAS,
an integrated state system of individual health savings accounts, state reinsurance programs and billing transparency requirements

could ensure payments to health care providers and diminish
uncompensated care
cost shifting
;
and

WHEREAS,
if
Wyoming resident
s

were

given the opportunity to
divert a
n established
portion of the
ir
income into individual
ly controlled
health savings account
s,
operated in tandem with
a
state rei
nsurance
program
,
the programs

together
c
ould
keep care at least as affordable
as
would be provided
under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act;
and

WHEREAS, existing contribution limits on health savings accounts unnecessarily limit the usefulness of these accounts and raising the contribution limits would allow for greater individual choice in health care;
and

WHEREAS, the state of Wyoming
should consider using
its Medicaid program to reinsure health care costs
that exceed
a contributing
low income, Medicaid eligible person
’s health savings account,
up to an established amount.
The state of Wyoming could then use a reinsurance program to manage costs
,
up to an established amount
, for individuals

contributing to health savings accounts who are not eligible for Medicaid.

Together
,
the programs could reinsure care that is at least as comprehensive as

would be provided under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act;

and

WHEREAS, the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act
preempts states from having comprehensive oversight of all insurance plans that may be available to their residents; and

WHEREAS,
federal
limit
ations on

the importation of
prescription drugs
preserve
high prescription drug costs
and

hinder
individual choice in health care
.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING:

Section 1
.

That the Wyoming Legislature calls on Congress
to pass legislation
lifting the contribution limit for

individual health savings accounts,
requiring greater transparency in health care
pricing and loos
en
ing

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

preemption so that states may regulate all insurance plans for the benefit of their residents
.

Section 2
.

That the Wyoming Legislature calls on Congress
to pass legislation to fund reinsurance programs
,

authorize prescription drug importation and

expand possibilities for states to waive federal requirements
under the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Medicaid
.

Section 3
.

T
hat t
he
Wyoming
Legislature
urges the Wyoming congressional delegation
to support legislation that promotes the use of health savings accounts, reinsurance programs and prescription drug importation and promotes individual choice in health care
.

Section
4
.

T
hat t
he
Wyoming
Legislature
encourages

study and investigation of

healt
h savings account contribution amounts
,
necessary

reinsurance reserves, participation levels required and other data necessary to apply
for a state innovation waiver under section 1332 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 42

U.S.C. § 18001, et seq., or other similar waiver available under federal law
,

t
o identify any necessary legislation to apply for and implement a waiver
.

Section
5
.

That t
he
Wyoming Legislature

invites

health insurance companies
and health care providers
to
propose legislation
or rules
to
establish health care billing transparency
requirements
.

Section
6
.

That the Secretary of State of Wyoming transmit copies of this resolution to

Wyoming’s

congressional
delegation
, the United States House Committee on Ways and Means,
the
United
States
House Committee on Energy and Commerce,
the United States Senate Committee on Finance
and
the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
.

(END)
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SJ0005