HCS HB 1857 -- WILLING PROVIDERS OF HEALTHCARE

SPONSOR:  Schaaf

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Healthcare Transformation by a vote of 7 to 1.

This substitute prohibits health insurers, the MO HealthNet
Program, and the federal Medicare Program from discriminating
against any Missouri health care provider, licensed pharmacy, or
licensed home health care agency located within the geographic
coverage area of a health benefit plan who is willing to meet the
terms and conditions for participation in the plan.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of Unknown -
could exceed $1,207,701 in FY 2009, Unknown - could exceed
$1,449,241 in FY 2010, and Unknown - could exceed $1,449,241 in
FY 2011.  Estimated Cost on Other State Funds of Unknown - could
exceed $231,838 in FY 2009, Unknown - could exceed $449,410 in
FY 2010, and Unknown - could exceed $449,410 in FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill provides choice in
healthcare to everyone, reduces healthcare costs, protects
continuity of care, and promotes competition among providers.
Without the bill, patients could have additional costs when
seeing out-of-network providers.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Schaaf; Jay
Bryant-Wimp; St. John's Regional Medical Center; John Collins,
DO; Mary Fleming; Trudy Stringer; Marsha Taylor, MD; Missouri
Retailers Association; Missouri State Chiropractors Association;
and Vicki Wilbers.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that it raises
healthcare costs, forces a carrier to take any physician willing
to meet the contract terms even if the provider has previously
been rejected by the carrier, and does not require willing
provider status for hospitals.  There is already choice in the
healthcare marketplace.

Testifying against the bill were Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Missouri; Missouri Hospital Association; Express Scripts; MEDCO
Health Solutions; Coventry Health Care of Kansas, Incorporated;
America's Health Insurance Plans; Missouri Insurance Coalition;
Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Blue Cross Blue
Shield of Kansas City.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:11 pm