Insurance rate
regulation bill clears
Senate committee

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By Lyn Danninger
ldanninger@starbulletin.com

One of this legislative session's most hotly-contested bills, which would give the state Insurance Division increased oversight of health insurers rate-making practices, cleared a critical hurdle yesterday.

The powerful Senate Ways and Means Committee voted 11-2 in favor of HB 1761, which would force insurers to submit rate filings for approval by the state insurance commissioner.

Not surprisingly, health insurers are adamantly opposed to the bill and have testified strongly against it.

Yesterday's vote means that the bill must now be voted on by the full Senate on Tuesday before it can cross back over to the House for a final vote.

Because the bill contained some technical amendments, after the House vote, it could move on to a House-Senate conference committee to resolve any differences between the two versions of the bill.

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