LANSING – Moving closer to action on a series of bills that would revise Michigan’s individual health insurance market – as well as allow Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan to acquire other companies – Senate substitutes for the bills are expected to be unveiled this week.

No voting is expected this week on the versions of HB 5282 , HB 5283 , HB 5284 and HB 5285 , but the substitutes are expected to be unveiled to the Senate Republican Caucus on Tuesday before being released on Wednesday by the Senate Health Policy Committee.

The substitutes were being kept close to the vest on Monday, with no one contacted having seen the measures.

Critics have charged that the bills would allow the Blues to gain control of the individual health insurance market, driving out some competitors. They have also said the bills would allow the Blues to essentially give up its role as the state’s insurer of last result.

Supporters of the bills have said that similar legislation enacted several years ago to deal with the small group market health insurance have created no ill effects in terms of lost competitors.

One official said the bills were expected to be something of a compromise of the two sides’ positions.

Committee chair Sen. Tom George (R-Kalamazoo) has been working on the substitutes. Once outlined to the Senate GOP caucus, Mr. George’s committee is expected to release the changes to the public on Wednesday.

But as of Monday there was no plan to have the Health Policy Committee vote on the bills until next week. That will give the different interest groups and legislators time to review the proposed substitutes.

That, as well as the protracted series of hearings the committee held on the bills, is in contrast to the House, which moved the bills quickly last fall. Critics charged the bills were moved too quickly by the House.

Critics of the bills, including Attorney General Mike Cox, said the measures effectively take away any state oversight of the state’s largest health insurance organization and that at a minimum oversight should be maintained in the bills.

Unclear at this point is whether the full Senate would vote on the bills next week before breaking for spring recess.

This story was provided by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on Gongwer.Com

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