Posted: | January 5, 2017 02:17 PM |
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From: | Representative Robert Freeman |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Proposed Legislation: Workers' Compensation Act Amendment (Former House Bill 2250) |
In the near future, I intend to introduce legislation that would amend Chapter 15 of the Workers’ Compensation Act to allow the State Workers’ Insurance Fund (SWIF) within the Department of Labor and Industry to sell health insurance. Currently, SWIF is only able to sell Workers Compensation Insurance. This legislation would permit them the ability to offer a quality, affordable health insurance policy that will not have any income requirement and is not subsidized by the Commonwealth. This will offer several advantages to our constituents. First, it will offer a quality health insurance product that will be less expensive than the current rates due to lower administrative costs. Second, it will create more competition within the health insurance market. Finally, the presence of a SWIF health insurance product in the market place will serve as a yard stick by which to measure the fairness of rates charged by private health insurance companies. Health insurance rates continue to increase. I believe that this proposal will effectively bring health care policies back to an affordable range for the average Pennsylvanian and Pennsylvania businesses by offering a less costly alternative to the current private health insurance plans offered today. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. If you have any questions regarding this legislation, please contact Danielle Kline in my office by e-mail at dkline@pahouse.net or by telephone at 783-3815. |
Introduced as HB1966