Pennsylvania House Committee Advances State-Based Exchange Legislation

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Insurance Committee unanimously adopted House Bill 3, a bi-partisan bill sponsored by House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) and Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny) to create a state-based insurance exchange. This exchange would supersede Pennsylvania’s current participation in the Federally Facilitated Marketplace via healthcare.gov by creating state-level infrastructure to replace the current enrollment process and its oversight. The transition is intended to create a health insurance marketplace comparable to the federal marketplace originally created by the Affordable Care Act rather than the continually volatile marketplace that exists today. It will also establish a reinsurance program that aims to lower premium costs of plans offered and helps sustain the program. HB 3 has been fast-tracked by the administration and legislature with the current expectation that it will be enacted along with the state budget later in June.