63M-1-2504 - Creation of Office of Consumer Health Services -- Duties.
63M-1-2504. Creation of Office of Consumer Health Services -- Duties.
(1) There is created within the Governor's Office of Economic Development the Officeof Consumer Health Services.
(2) The office shall:
(a) in cooperation with the Insurance Department, the Department of Health, and theDepartment of Workforce Services, and in accordance with the electronic standards developedunder Sections 31A-22-635 and 63M-1-2506, create a Health Insurance Exchange that:
(i) is capable of providing access to private and government health insurance websitesand their electronic application forms and submission procedures;
(ii) provides a consumer comparison of and enrollment in a health benefit plan posted onthe Health Insurance Exchange by an insurer for the:
(A) small employer group market;
(B) the individual market; and
(C) the defined contribution arrangement market; and
(iii) includes information and a link to enrollment in premium assistance programs andother government assistance programs;
(b) facilitate a private sector method for the collection of health insurance premiumpayments made for a single policy by multiple payers, including the policyholder, one or moreemployers of one or more individuals covered by the policy, government programs, and others byeducating employers and insurers about collection services available through private vendors,including financial institutions;
(c) assist employers with a free or low cost method for establishing mechanisms for thepurchase of health insurance by employees using pre-tax dollars;
(d) periodically convene health care providers, payers, and consumers to monitor theprogress being made regarding demonstration projects for health care delivery and paymentreform;
(e) establish a list on the Health Insurance Exchange of insurance producers who, inaccordance with Section 31A-30-209, are appointed producers for the defined contributionarrangement market on the Health Insurance Exchange; and
(f) report to the Business and Labor Interim Committee and the Health System ReformTask Force prior to November 1, 2010, and prior to the Legislative interim day in November ofeach year thereafter regarding:
(i) the operations of the Health Insurance Exchange required by this chapter; and
(ii) the progress of the demonstration projects for health care payment and deliveryreform.
(3) The office:
(a) may not:
(i) regulate health insurers, health insurance plans, or health insurance producers;
(ii) adopt administrative rules, except as provided in Section 63M-1-2506; or
(iii) act as an appeals entity for resolving disputes between a health insurer and aninsured; and
(b) may establish and collect a fee in accordance with Section 63J-1-504 for thetransaction cost of:
(i) processing an application for a health benefit plan from the Internet portal to aninsurer; and
(ii) accepting, processing, and submitting multiple premium payment sources.
Amended by Chapter 68, 2010 General Session