One of the legislative measures that have already proven to be controversial before it was finished has now been put in the hopper and given a number. House Bill 1067, as primed by State Representative Tim Rounds, represents the latest draft of the legislation as supported by Sanford Health Plans, who believes in a different interpretation than the one in State Law as passed by 2014’s Initiated Measure 17, otherwise known as the “Any willing Provider” act.
What are the differences between the draft measure we pointed out yesterday, and the one that was filed today?
The draft dated 1/7/2016 is titled “An Act to allow health care providers to offer plans that contain less than all of the health care providers on a panel of providers.”
House Bill 1067’s title is “An Act to promote quality, competition, and freedom of choice in the health insurance market place.”
Well… it’s a shinier title. But, with the exception of the new title, it would appear to be the same bill as circulated around previously.
The bill’s complete sponsor list is as noted:
Representatives Rounds, Beal, Conzet, Cronin, Dryden, Hawks, Hawley, Jensen (Alex), Otten (Herman), Partridge, Peterson (Kent), and Willadsen and Senators Peters, Buhl O’Donnell, Haverly, Rusch, Shorma, Solano, Sutton, and Tidemann.
Residency for the sponsors is heavily weighted in South Dakota’s urban areas, and politically, most, if not all, aren’t going to face tough competition at election time. No one is going to beat Tim Rounds or Deb Peters, or Arch Beal, or Larry Tidemann, etc. Or, like Alex Jensen, and Angie Buhl, they’re sitting out the next election.
Although it was very interesting to see that State Representative Paula Hawks who is running for Congress has signed on as a sponsor to what may be one of the legislative session’s most controversial bills. Her sponsorship is a wild card in all of this, given her high profile race for office in 2016.
Stay tuned. The wild ride of the 2016 legislative session is just starting.
Alex Jensen isn’t running? Did I miss that somewhere?
Also, do you think this is an attempt by Hawks to suck up to Sanford in hopes of some campaign contributions?
You need to keep an eye on the SDWC! Alex is getting married and moving out of the District. If he had to take a pass, it’s for a good reason.
This is a Sanford special interest bill and Hawks is clearly pandering to them as she slaps the voters in the face.
HB 1067–FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to promote quality, competition, and freedom of choice in the health insurance market place.
But then new language adds this: All health insurers
shall offer for sale at least one health benefit plan approved by the division that contains all of
the health care providers which are in its panel of providers.
Im not sure all the health care providers will consider this bill ” freedom of choice.”
Charlie, you classmate in rapid city appreciates your efforts to line his pockets. Keep up the good work.
This title change reminds me of the old saying – “you can polish a turd but it’s still a turd”. And they really polished this one up. I wonder who decided the fancy title change was a good idea.
Seems to me that Sanford is seeking a monopoly here.
ah, kids: Avera is buying Dakotacare, making them the 2nd largest plan provider in the state behind Wellmark / Blue Cross. Who’s chasing a monopoly? (facts are pesky things, huh?)
I Avera trying to push through this bill or is Sanford? What you gave as a fact doesn’t, in itself, prove that Avera is trying to get a monopoly.
Tim Rounds – as expected that someone from this family would carry the flag for this bill, which is another slap in the face to the SD electorate. Powers noted – he is safely placed in a district which makes him immune to accountability to the voter. Or is he?
Hawley also involved in insurance. No surprise to see as co-sponsors those who operate businesses which have commission-based relationships with health insurance companies (those relationships at the pleasure of the insurance companies; it is not a given that because you are an insurance agent that you will gain the privilege to write policies for an insurance company).
Tideman- “Water carrier” is his middle name.
Very surprised at the Dems who include themselves as co-sponsors (Hawks, Buhl O’Donnell, and Sutton). For those with future aspirations to higher office, very difficult to forge a trusting place in the heart of the voter with this move.
Lots of future appointments as Assistant Executive VP positions at Sanford Health from this list.
Anon 12:55 my buddy in RC was a SR when I was a JR in High School. And actually my hand surgeon friend in the Senate and I speak more then Dr. Lou and I do but even that is less then the Ortho Doc in Aberdeen who did a total knee replacement on me last December. And for the record all these guys are making about one half of what they were making before Obama pushed Obamacare through without letting anyone read it first. Heck I’m just trying to keep them alive buddy.
Correction Anon 12:55; I can’t type and talk on the phone at the same time, I was a Sophmore not a JR.