Report Title:

Temporary Health Insurance, Unemployment

 

Description:

Creates the temporary health insurance for unemployed persons program to provide temporary health insurance to persons who have lost coverage and assist with premiums for persons who are COBRA-eligible due to furlough, layoff, reduced work hours, or termination of employment on or after July 1, 2008.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1822

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

Relating to health insurance.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  (a)  There is established the temporary health insurance for unemployed persons program to provide temporary health care coverage for persons who have lost employment on or after July 1, 2008.

     (b)  To be eligible to participate in this program the person shall:

     (1)  Have lost the person's health insurance as a result of a furlough, layoff, reduced work hours, or termination of employment on or after July 1, 2008;

     (2)  Be ineligible for any health insurance coverage from another source; and

     (3)  Agree to pay for the costs of the premium for the person's coverage.

     (c)  The temporary health insurance for unemployed persons program shall provide a benefit package similar to the basic benefits provided by the department of human service's QUEST-Net program and shall be administered by the department of human services.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  If a person is entitled to continue health insurance coverage under the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, that person may apply for reimbursement of up to $125 per month for a single covered person and up to $315 per month for family coverage for the purpose of continuing the person's health insurance and prescription drug coverage.

     (b)  The total reimbursement a person may collect under this section shall be for three months of coverage from the effective date of the individual's loss of coverage.

     (c)  A person is eligible for reimbursement of payments if:

     (1)  The person became unemployed or furloughed, was laid off, or suffered a reduction in work hours that has resulted in the loss of the person's employment related group health insurance which occurred on or after July 1, 2008;

     (2)  The person is ineligible for any other insurance coverage as a beneficiary of another person;

     (3)  The person is entitled to continue health insurance coverage under the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act;

 

     (4)  The person is not eligible for any other employment related group health coverage reimbursement or subsidy to assist the unemployed person in continuing the person's group health insurance coverage;

     (5)  The person certifies in writing the amount paid by the person for prescription and medical coverage for the three-month period beginning on the effective date of the person's loss of coverage; and

     (6)  The person's employer certifies in writing that the person is not entitled to any other subsidy to cover the cost of health insurance and prescription coverage offered by the employer or the employer's health insurer.

     (d)  Reimbursements under this section shall be administered by the department of labor and industrial relations.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009-2010 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 for administration of the temporary health insurance for unemployed persons program established by this Act.

     The sums appropriated by this section shall be expended by the department of human services.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009-2010 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 for the reimbursement of payments made under this Act.

     The sums appropriated by this section shall be expended by the department of labor and industrial relations.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009; provided that sections 1 and 2 shall be repealed on June 30, 2011.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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