Health Insurance
HB115 Health Insurance - Coverage for Parents of Insured or Spouse of Insured
This bill requires health insurance policies or contracts that provide coverage for family members to offer coverage for parents of the enrollee or spouse. The parent must reside in Maryland, be at least 50 years old and lose coverage at the age of 64. The parent must reside in Maryland.
Effective Date: October 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Jim Kaufman
HB116 Health Insurance - Small Group Market - Comprehensive Standard Health Benefit Plan
The bill modifies the Standard Health Benefit Plan by requiring the plan to offer a pharmacy discount card. In addition the bill requires that the plan include a co-payment of $200 for emergency room services and $50 for primary care and specialty care services (includes outpatient laboratory, diagnostic services, skilled nursing services, outpatient rehabilitative and chiropractic services) for HMO plans. For indemnity, preferred provider plans, and point of service plans, the annual deductible will be $1,500.
Effective Date: October 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Jim Kaufman
HB122 Health Insurance - Coverage for Children
The bill extends the age that a child may be carried on their parent's health insurance plan to 30 if the child has been continuously insured for at least the previous two years. The child qualifies for coverage regardless of whether he or she resides with the parent, is a dependent, and regardless of martial status. However, if the child is married, the health benefits do not extend to the child's spouse. The coverage offered is required to be subject to the same co-payments, coinsurance, or deductibles that are offered for similar coverage. In addition, the policy must be priced at a rate appropriate for coverage based on underwriting standards.
Effective Date: October 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Jim Kaufman
HB123 Health Insurance - Prompt Payment of Claims
The bill alters the prompt pay statute by deleting the requirement for an insurance company to pay a clean claim within 30 days to requiring the insurance company mail or otherwise transmit payment of a clean claim within 30 days.
Effective Date: June 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Jim Kaufman
HB125 Health Insurance - Medicare Supplement Policies - Individuals Transferred to the Maryland Health Insurance Plan
The bill creates a new section that requires a carrier that sells Medicare supplemental policies to issue any policy that it sells to an individual eligible for Medicare if the enrollee has transferred from the Substantial, Available, and Affordable Coverage Plan to the Maryland Health Insurance Plan by July 1, 2003 and applies for the Medicare Supplemental Policy before July 1, 2004. The carrier may not exclude or limit benefits for losses incurred after the effective date of coverage due to losses related to a preexisting condition.
Effective Date: Emergency Measure, effective upon enactment and remains in effect through 2005.
For more information, please contact: Jim Kaufman
HB126 Maryland Health Insurance Plan - Modification
The bill adds that the Board of Directors of the Maryland Health Insurance Plan may vary the premium rate by geographic region of the State. Currently, the Board may only adjust rates based on family composition.
Effective Date: June 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Jim Kaufman
HB127 Nonprofit Health Service Plans and Health Maintenance Organizations - Underwriting Standards
The bill requires that HMOs be subject to §27-501(H) of the Insurance Article. This section requires that each insurer, including HMOs and non-profit health plans, file a copy of its underwriting standards and amendments with the Insurance Commissioner.
Effective Date: October 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Jim Kaufman
SB4 Regulation and Acquisition of Nonprofit Health Service Plans
The bill extends the Statute of Limitation to three years for misdemeanor offenses under Title 14 of the Insurance Article, which directs the business and affairs of non-profit health plans.
The bill also modifies Title 14 of the Insurance Article and requires a Board member to act in a manner that is consistent with the mission of the nonprofit health plan and the board may not use their position for personal or financial enrichment to the detriment of the plan or its mission. It requires the board, before consideration of any bid or proposal to acquire the plan, to ensure that adequate consideration is given to an independent valuation of the non-profit health plan.
The bill creates a new subsection under Title 14 requiring officers of the non-profit health plan to: act in good faith, serve in the best interest of the plan and its mission, act with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a similar position would use, and bar the use of their position for personal or financial enrichment. Any violation of this subsection is considered to be an unsound or unsafe business practice. In addition, if an officer or director fails to take appropriate action regarding a warning from the Insurance Commissioner regarding an unsafe or unsound business practice, the Commissioner may impose a civil penalty not to exceed $125,000 for each warning.
Effective Date: June 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Jim Kaufman
SB29 Nonprofit Health Services Plans - Compensation of Officers and Executive - Authority of Insurance Commissioner
As a result of the US District Court for Maryland's Order and Consent Judgment, this bill modifies Chapters 365 and 357 of the Acts of 2003, which reformed various statuary requirements for nonprofit health plans. The bill eliminates the requirement that a non-profit plan's Board of Directors develop and submit guidelines regarding compensation to the
Insurance Commissioner for review and approval.
Effective Date: Emergency Measure and Retroactive to June 6, 2003
For more information, please contact: Jim Kaufman
[ Go to Bills Introduced]
Higher Education
HB17 Edward T. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program - Victims of Terrorism
House Bill 17 expands eligibility for the Edward T. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program to include family members of Maryland residents that were victims of terrorism. This is defined as a person killed as a result of an act that is dangerous to human life, violates criminal laws and appears to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or a government for political or social objectives and includes victims of September 11, 2001.
Effective Date: October 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Bret Schreiber
SB1 Education - Teachers - State and Local Aid Program for Certification
Senate Bill 1 repeals the sunset for the program that provides State and local aid to teachers who pursue certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Each school year, the State Board selects a maximum of 500 teachers to participate in the Program and this bill will allow the initiatives of providing aid to the potential students to continue.
Effective Date: Emergency Measure, effective upon enactment.
For more information, please contact: Bret Schreiber
SB17 Higher Education - Student Financial Assistance - Maryland Teacher Scholarships
This bill allows a recipient of a Maryland Teacher Scholarship to work in a nonpublic school as well as a public school as part of their service obligation.
Effective Date: October 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Bret Schreiber
SB30 Higher Education - Student Financial Assistance - Service Obligation Requirements
Senate Bill 30 allows any student attending a public institution of higher education who is not a resident of the State and who is enrolled in an education course or program leading to an occupation as a licensed registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse to pay only the tuition fees and other mandatory fees payable by a resident of this State. The student must furnish a surety bond or promissory note to the State, with security satisfactory to the Maryland Higher Education Commission, that, upon completion of the education course or program, the student will work in Maryland for at least 4 years as a licensed registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse in a hospital or related institution. The bill eliminates the word "guaranteed promissory note," and instead simply states "promissory note."
Effective Date: July 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Bret Schreiber
SB31 Higher Education - Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program
The bill expands the graduate and professional scholarship program to include social work programs offered at the University of Maryland at Baltimore.
Effective Date: July 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Bret Schreiber
SB112 Access to Quality in Higher Education Act of 2004
Senate Bill 112 creates a funding formula for the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary's College of Maryland. The bill requires the Governor to allocate State aid to the public institutions in Fiscal Year 2006 at a level that is at least equal to the amount provided to the institutions in Fiscal Year 2002. In addition, the bill includes a provision requiring the State to appropriate additional funds to the public institutions in fiscal 2005. The bill also creates a funding formula for future appropriations that differentiates between in-state students and out-of-state students.
Effective Date: July 1, 2004
For more information, please contact: Bret Schreiber
[ Go to Bills Introduced]
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