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Commerce and Financial Institutions

THIRTY-EIGHTH MEETING

2005-2006 Regular Session - Thursday, March 23, 2006

STATE OF MINNESOTA THIRTY-EIGHTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FOURTH SESSION

COMMERCE & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS COMMITTEE

MINUTES


Representative Tim Wilkin, Chairman of the Commerce and Financial Institutions Committee, called the thirty-eighth meeting to order at 12:42 p.m. on Thursday, March 23, 2006, in Room 200 of the State Office Building.

The Clerk noted the roll.

House Members present:

WILKIN, Tim, Chair
GAZELKA, Paul, Vice-Chair
DAVIDS, Greg
GUNTHER, Bob
HAMILTON, Rod
HOWES, Larry
KOHLS, Paul
PEPPIN, Joyce
POWELL, Duke
SEVERSON, Dan
SODERSTROM, Judy
VANDEVEER, Ray
ZELLERS, Kurt
ATKINS, Joe
CLARK, Karen
FRITZ, Patti
GOODWIN, Barb
JAROS, Mike
LIEBLING, Tina
LOEFFLER, Diane
MOE, Frank
MULLERY, Joe
RUKAVINA, Tom
SAILER, Brita
SERTICH, Tony

EXCUSED: SIMPSON, Dean

A quorum was present.

Rep. Gazelka moved that the minutes from the meeting of March 22, 2006, be approved.

THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF2832 (Abeler) Business and political subdivision employee health coverage reinsurance pool created and money appropriated.

Rep. Abeler presented HF2832.

Testifying on HF2832:

Rep. Fran Bradley
John Gross, Dept. of Commerce
Phil Stalboerger, Blue Cross/Blue Shield

No motion was made on HF2832.

HF3360 (Bradley) Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association governance structure modified, health insurance exemption provided, assessment repealed, and money appropriated.

Rep. Wilkin moved that HF3360 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Health Policy and Finance.

Rep. Wilkin moved to amend HF3360 with the H3360DE3 amendment.

THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Testifying on the DE3 amendment:

Lynne Gruber, Pres., MN Comprehensive Health Association
Erin Sexton, MN Chamber of Commerce
John Scharz, United Health System
Mark Harmon, Wintergreen Designs

Rep. Wilkin renewed his motion that HF3360 be recommended to pass, as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on Health Policy and Finance.

THE MOTION PREVAILED.

The meeting recessed at 2:20 pm.

The meeting reconvened at 4:30 pm.

HF3402 (Wilkin) Loss ratios and small employer insurance coverages regulated, health savings plan state match established, and money appropriated.

Rep. Wilkin moved that HF3402 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Taxes.

Rep. Wilkin moved to orally amend HF3402 as follows:

Page 10: Delete Section 6, Lines 4 – 25.

THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Wilkin moved to amend HF3402 with the H3402A7 amendment.

THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Wilkin presented HF3402, as amended.

Testifying on HF3402:

Lynne Gruber, Pres., MN Comprehensive Health Association

Rep. Atkins moved to amend HF3402 with the H3402A5 amendment.

Rep. Atkins incorporated the following oral amendment into H3402A5:

Line 9: Delete “three,” insert ten

Lines 12 – 16: Delete “A health plan company or a health care provider that attempts to collect on outstanding medical bills voided under this section shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor and provide the patient with damages in an amount triple that of the original total amount due for outstanding medical bills that was voided.”

Rep. Atkins renewed his motion to amend HF3402 with the H3402A5 amendment.

THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Wilkin renewed his motion that HF3402 be recommended to pass, as amended, and be re-referred to the General Register.

THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF3505 (Hamilton) Greater Minnesota small employer health insurance premium reductions permitted.

Rep. Hamilton presented HF3505 and H3505A1.

Testifying on HF3505:

Phil Griffin, Preferred One

Rep. Hamilton moved that HF3505 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the General Register.

Rep. Hamilton moved to amend HF3505 with the H3505A1 amendment.

THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Hamilton renewed his motion that HF3505 be recommended to pass, as amended, and be re-referred to the General Register.

THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF3648 (Bradley) Business organizations authorized to obtain certificates of authority to operate as health maintenance organizations, pricing fairness provided, small health plan purchasing pools authorized, and health insurance tax imposed.

Rep. Wilkin moved that HF3648 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Health Policy and Finance.

Rep. Bradley presented HF3648.

Testifying on HF3648:

Geoff Bartsh, Health Partners
Dave Renner, Minnesota Medical Association

Rep. Wilkin renewed his motion that HF3658 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Health Policy and Finance.

THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Rep. Wilkin moved to reconsider HF3402.

THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Rep. Wilkin moved that HF3402 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Taxes.

THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Rep. Wilkin moved to re-refer HF 3561 from the Committee on Commerce and Financial Institutions to the Committee Division of Technology/Bio-science & Medical Products.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:00 pm.


REP. TIM WILKIN, CHAIR


Tim Jacobson
Committee Legislative Assistant