Support Amendment 225
Posted on May 24, 2011
From the Desk of:
Lynn Ostrowski
Health New England
Director, Brand & Corporate Relations
SUBJECT: Help us Ensure Sound Rates & Time to Get the Rates to You and Your Accounts!
Support Amendment 225
This week, the Massachusetts Senate will debate the state budget. The $30.5 billion spending bill includes a number of targeted cuts to close the projected $1.9 billion gap between spending priorities and available revenues and draws $209 million from the state’s rainy day fund. Nearly 600 amendments to the budget were filed including several that require our attention.
We need your help to pass an amendment that would provide stability and certainty for Massachusetts employers and brokers around the applicable rates for health benefit plans. Amendment 225, filed by Senator Anthony Petruccelli of East Boston, would require that the Division of Insurance (DOI) utilize sound actuarial principles in disapproving rates. If DOI intends to disapprove the rates, the amendment would require that it notify the health plan 60 days prior to the effective date of the proposed rates, rather than the current 45 days. If DOI does not notify the plan, then the rates would be deemed approved.
Amendment 225 would ensure that there is actuarially support for any rate disapprovals and would ensure that health plans have sufficient time to give employers and brokers the information they need on premium rates.
Please contact your State Senator today and urge them to support Amendment 225 by clicking on the link below or by calling Jennifer Willis at 617-259-2774 and she can help you find your senator.
