SB 478 Summary

• Eliminates preexisting condition exclusions for all individuals in both group and individual health insurance plans, effective immediately upon passage.

• Establishes "special health care plans" for low-income individuals (those with family income below 300% of federal poverty level) through the Health Reinsurance Association, with reimbursement rates set at 75% of Medicare rates.

• Removes restrictions on guaranteed issue and renewal requirements for small employer health insurance plans, allowing plans to be offered on a guaranteed issue basis to all eligible employees and dependents.

• Reforms rating requirements for nongrandfathered small employer health plans to use uniform age rating curves and geographic area adjustments only, with tobacco use surcharges capped at 1.5 to 1.0 ratio beginning January 1, 2015.

• Consolidates and simplifies Connecticut's health insurance regulations by repealing multiple outdated statutory sections and streamlining the Health Reinsurance Association's duties and the Small Employer Health Reinsurance Pool's operations.