Legislative ALERT

On the last day of crossover IIAV's legislative proposals on health care navigators has passed both the House and Senate having survived significant opposition.  The Affordable Care Act has created a classification of health care navigators who are supposed to "help facilitate enrollment" in the health care plans in a Federal Exchange.

In short, IIAV's proposals:

·         Protects the Virginia consumer by ensuring that Federally approved navigators do not abuse their functions or improperly use private information;
·         Establishes that navigators are subject to Virginia fair trade practices and privacy regulations;
·         Establishes that navigator functions are limited as set forth by the Affordable Care Act and that they are NOT licensed agents;
·         Gives Virginia consumers an avenue of assistance through the Bureau of Insurance if they have difficulty with navigators; and
·         Requires the Bureau of Insurance to report back to the House/Senate Commerce and Labor Committees in 2014 and 2015 on any issues related to navigators.

Now HB 2246 carried by Delegate O'Bannon must go to the Senate and SB 1261 carried by Senator Puckett will go to the House and if they pass would then go to the Governor for his signature.  The Federal Exchange could be operational in Virginia by January 1, 2014 with navigators activated as early as October this year.

The bills faced significant opposition from legislators who were opposed to anything related to the Federal law despite the consumer protection functions of IIAV's bills.

IIAV worked closely with the Bureau of Insurance, consumer groups and representatives of VAHU and NAIFA-Virginia.  Stay tuned to a possible important announcement on these bills later this week.