Resolution on Federal Health Insurance Reform Legislation Exposed
The Resolution on Federal Health Insurance Reform Legislation Exposed was included in the 1996 Sourcebook of American State Legislation. ALEC has attempted to distance itself from this piece of legislation after the launch of ALECexposed.org in 2011, but it has done nothing to get it repealed in the states where it previously pushed for it to be made into law.
CMD Summary
This Resolution reads like it must have been written by large insurance companies, who hate guaranteed issue and community rating.
ALEC Bill Text
Summary
This Resolution helps prevent Congress from passing federal legislation that would impose restrictions such as guaranteed issue and community rating, or give the Secretary of Health and Human Services unnecessary authority over state health reform programs, clearly violating the states' own rights to regulate their own health programs.
Model Resolution
WHEREAS, the states have been at the forefront of the health reform debate by aggressively leading the charge to make health care coverage portable and renewable to citizens, and
WHEREAS, the states have discovered that reforms such as guaranteed issue and community rating do not result in universal coverage but instead drive up the cost of health insurance and drive healthy people out of the insurance market, and
WHEREAS, the U. S. Congress is considering legislation which would impose restrictions such as guaranteed issue on states and give the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services authority over state health reform programs, power which would clearly interfere with the states' historical ability to regulate their own health insurance programs.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the legislature of the state of [State] urges Congress not to institute federal review, oversight, or preemption of state health insurance laws nor to impose guaranteed issue in the individual and group health insurance plans, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be distributed to all Governors and members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.
