Posts Tagged ‘arizona’

ARIZONA: Bills prohibiting pre-existing condition and pregnancy exclusions in individual policies have been referred to two separate committees, increasing the likelihood that they will not move forward. The non-covered dental service prohibition bill is expected to be favorably amended with a definition of a “covered service” that is broad enough to extend the negotiated contract rates for services that may be excluded by the policy, retaining cost protections for members.

ARIZONA: After convening the 2010 legislative session on January 11, Governor Jan Brewer highlighted the state’s priorities in her State of the State address. Without mentioning the word “tax,” the governor focused on the need to find ways to increase revenue as the state is facing a projected $4.5 billion budget deficit. The Medicaid program, which covers all Arizonans who are at or below the federal poverty level, accounts for $1 billion of the deficit. Two ideas discussed to supplement funding are a hospital bed tax and a 1 percent increase in the premium tax across all lines. The bed tax has significant support among the Governor’s office, legislative leadership and hospitals, with the exception of the Mayo Clinics. No formal proposals have been circulated as yet, but Aetna is supporting the broad-based provider tax. Other anticipated legislation includes preventive screening mandates, parity for mental health and oral chemotherapy, medical benefit ratios in the individual and small group markets, limits on the use of pregnancy status as a pre-existing condition and PBM regulation. Access proposals may include an increase in dependent age coverage to 25 and permitting insurers licensed in states other than Arizona to sell policies in the group and individual markets.

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