Resolution on Expanding Access to Health Insurance Exposed

The Resolution on Expanding Access to Health Insurance was passed by ALEC's Health and Human Services Task Force at the States and Nation Policy Summit on December 9, 2006. Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors January 8, 2007. According to ALEC's website (as of June 29, 2015), this bill was re-approved by ALEC Board of Directors on January 28, 2013.

CMD's Bill Summary

This Resolution advocates for a "Free Market" approach to health care (as opposed to government-provided health care). It opposes government efforts at providing health care in favor of expanding the pool of consumers for private insurance companies

ALEC Bill Text

WHEREAS, {insert state legislative body here} finds that access to health insurance is important to its citizens; and

WHEREAS, {insert state legislative body here} finds that the citizens of {insert state here} should be able to choose from a wide variety of plans that ensure health insurance is affordable; and

WHEREAS, {insert state legislative body here} finds that many citizens of {insert state here} either do not have access to health insurance or can not afford to purchase it; and WHEREAS, {insert state legislative body here} finds that state legislators can have a profound impact on the affordability, accessibility, and availability of health insurance; and

WHEREAS, {insert state legislative body here} finds that a free market in health insurance: Provides consumers with a broad range of affordable health insurance options, Promotes competition, Keeps health insurance premium rates low, and Helps the uninsured get and keep health insurance; and

WHEREAS, {insert state legislative body here} finds that legislators can help consumers find affordable health insurance by promoting free-market solutions, including:

Health savings accounts which have helped millions of the uninsured find an affordable health insurance product,

Small group premium subsidies which help very small businesses provide insurance to employees,

List billing which allows employees to purchase individual health insurance through payroll deductions,

Underwriting which allows health insurers to price risks appropriately,

High risk pools which provide access to insurance for individuals with chronic conditions,

Mandate-lite health insurance which provides consumers with an affordable health insurance option,

Plan design freedom which allows health insurers to design plans that meet consumer needs like limited benefit plans or innovative plan designs,

Tax deductions which can help make insurance more affordable, and

Health insurance vouchers which allow the working poor to choose their own benefit plans rather than a government-designed, one-size-fits-all approach; and

WHEREAS, {insert state legislative body here} finds that many states have increased health insurance costs by instituting policies that harm consumers, including:

Requiring health insurers to include numerous expensive mandated benefits in policies sold to consumers,

Instituting price controls like community rating which raise overall health insurance rates for everyone,

Limiting consumer options in the individual market by limiting the ability of health insurers to design health insurance plans, and

Requiring health insurance companies in the individual market to accept all applicants which raises health insurance costs; and

WHEREAS, {insert state legislative body here} finds that many well-intentioned reforms have actually harmed consumers in several ways, including:

Contributing to health insurance premiums that are unaffordable to many Americans,

Eliminating consumer choice, and

Increasing the number of citizens who are uninsured.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT {insert state legislative body here} finds free-market- based solutions, unfettered by burdensome government regulation, are the best way to provide consumers with access to innovative and affordable health insurance options, which both reduce the number of the uninsured and alleviate the dependence of our most vulnerable members of society on one-size-fits-all, government-subsidized health care programs.