Hays introduces bill for equal health plans in all counties
SPRINGFIELD — State Rep. Chad Hays, R-Danville, wants the choices to be equal next time state employees and retirees enroll in a new health plan.
Hays introduced a bill Friday afternoon (HB 4449) that would amend the state Employees Group Insurance Act starting July 1 to require any form of coverage offered in one county or location to be offered in all other counties and locations.
For example, he said, "If we offer an HMO, we offer it in all counties. To me, that's just baseline fairness and equity."
Such a requirement would help avoid the confusion and emotional uproar of the 2011 insurance enrollment, when HMOs were made available to state employees and retirees in only 38 counties, through Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Hays said.
See Saturday's News-Gazette for more.
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