H.F. No. 55 Summary

• Expands the definition of "mandated health benefit proposal" to include proposals requiring particular benefit designs, cost-sharing conditions, or limits on contracts between health plans and providers.

• Requires prospective bill authors to notify standing legislative committee chairs by August 1 of the year preceding the legislative session if they plan to introduce a mandated health benefit proposal, triggering a mandatory evaluation by the Commissioner of Commerce.

• Prohibits any mandated health benefit proposal from receiving a hearing or being voted on by either house or standing committee before the Commissioner completes and delivers the evaluation.

• Adds eight specific evaluation criteria including scientific evidence, cost-effectiveness, administrative costs, and state costs for qualified health plans using federal reimbursement rates.

• Establishes 180-day timeline for Commissioner to submit written evaluation report to the proposal author and relevant legislative committee chairs and ranking minority members.