Video & Transcript : 'premium discounts' :

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WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Health Care & Wellness Jan 27th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • Meanwhile, the public is already burdened under the weight of soaring premiums, high deductibles, and
  • Meanwhile, the public is already burdened under the weight of soaring premiums, high deductibles, and
  • When insurers cut payments to providers, it adds to their profits, not a decrease in premiums that are
  • When insurers cut payments to providers, it adds to their profits, not a decrease in premiums that are
  • Charity care policies that limited free or discounted hospital care to the residents of Washington State
Summary: The House Health Care & Wellness Committee held public hearings on several bills. House Bill 2232 would create a Department of Health-operated time-sensitive emergency data repository covering trauma, cardiac, and stroke events, with quality improvement reporting and support for rural facilities; it drew strong support from emergency physicians, nurses, and the Department of Health, while the Washington State Hospital Association said hospitals support the goal but lack the resources to absorb the added requirements. House Bill 1812, as a proposed substitute, would bar insurers and public plans from imposing anesthesia time limits or related reimbursement caps; the sponsor and anesthesia providers said it protects patient safety and fair payment, and the Washington State Society of Anesthesiologists asked for a clarifying amendment on physical status modifiers. House Bill 2250 would limit hospital charity care to Washington residents, while preserving emergency care access; supporters from rural hospitals and the Washington State Hospital Association said the change would help border hospitals facing rising nonresident charity care, and opponents from legal aid, patient advocacy, and LGBTQ groups warned it would create barriers, chill access for immigrants and other vulnerable patients, and conflict with Washington’s safety-net values. The committee also heard House Bill 2340, which would extend existing substance-use monitoring program protections and stipend eligibility to nursing assistants under the Board of Nursing’s CARES program. The sponsor described it as a simple equity measure, and the Board of Nursing supported it, saying it would improve access and reduce stigma; members asked where the stipend funding comes from, and staff and the board said it is currently general-fund supported at about $25,000 annually. House Bill 2577 would change hospital inspection law by requiring acute care hospital inspections every 18 months rather than on average, allowing some accredited inspections to satisfy the requirement every 36 months, and clarifying fire-protection reinspection standards; the sponsor and Department of Health said it responds to a JLARC audit and provides needed clarity, while DOH said it is still working to catch up from inspection delays caused by the public health emergency. The meeting ended after public testimony on the bills was closed and the committee adjourned.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Insurance Committee Apr 2nd, 2025

Insurance

Transcript Highlights:
  • It's now up in the sort of top six, top 10, depending on how you measure it in terms of premium dollars
  • So the business, in some cases, this 11.5% might be what we call minimum premium.
  • well, I'll get into the cannabis business if I know I don't, if I'm not short covering or minimum premium
  • The Safer from Wildfires program is the only avenue open to consumers to receive direct discounts for
  • These insurance discounts are a great incentive, and it costs the state nothing to offer it.
Committee: House Insurance
Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee met as a subcommittee and heard several bills focused on insurance transparency, wildfire mitigation, access to coverage, and workforce issues. AB 75 would require insurers to give homeowners 30 days’ notice before collecting aerial images of their property and allow homeowners to review those images; supporters framed it as a privacy and consumer protection measure, while consumer advocates and insurers sought amendments to strengthen access and clarify coverage. The committee also heard AB 234, which would add the Assembly Speaker and Senate pro tem, or their designees, as nonvoting members of the California FAIR Plan governing committee; supporters said it would improve oversight, while opponents argued it was only a small transparency step and more reform was needed. Both bills were advanced, with AB 75 sent to Privacy and Consumer Protection and AB 234 sent to the Assembly Floor. Members also heard AB 428, which would allow water corporations to participate in joint powers authorities for pooled insurance purposes, with testimony from small water utilities describing steep premium increases and the need to reduce costs. The bill was supported by water industry and labor groups and passed to Local Government. The consent calendar included AB 69, AB 487, and AB 570, all sent to Appropriations. AB 943 would streamline producer pre-licensing education requirements by removing the 20-hour per-line mandate while keeping ethics training; industry sponsors said it would reduce barriers to entry, while consumer advocates warned it could lower professional standards. The committee approved AB 943 to Appropriations. AB 1209 would create a pathway for cannabis employers to secure workers’ compensation coverage and related services through a state-coordinated network, with supporters saying the industry faces unique banking and insurance constraints and that the bill would improve compliance and transparency. Opponents argued it could amount to a form of amnesty and questioned whether the industry was simply avoiding existing requirements. The committee advanced AB 1209 to Business and Professions. Finally, AB 1 would require the Department of Insurance to review and consider updates to the Safer from Wildfire regulations every five years starting in 2030; it drew broad support from the department, insurers, local governments, and fire-safety advocates, and was sent to Appropriations. Most measures passed on strong or unanimous votes, with AB 1209 receiving a 15-2 vote.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Labor & Workplace Standards Jan 28th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • from their employer. ...entitled to 100% of the health care premium from their employer so that they
  • House Bill 2188 pertains to workers' compensation premium rates.
  • House Bill 2188 pertains to workers' compensation premium rates.
  • Employers pay premiums into these funds, and workers pay a portion of the premium for medical.
  • To determine premium rates, L&I classifies industries according to risk, of which there are currently
Summary: The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee met on January 28, 2026, first hearing staff briefings and then taking executive action on House Bills 1571, 2144, 2191, and 2372. HB 1571 would make heart conditions a presumptive occupational disease for certain firefighters and law enforcement officers; members spoke in support of the bill as a response to the stresses and exposures of those jobs, and it was reported out 8-1 with a do-pass recommendation. HB 2144 would require notice to employees when employers use electronic monitoring for performance evaluations. The committee considered several amendments to a proposed substitute, adopting an amendment clarifying private communications protections but rejecting amendments to broaden emergency exceptions and remove the private right of action. The bill, as amended, passed 6-3. HB 2191 concerns wages in the construction industry and employer/contractor liability for unpaid wages. The committee considered a proposed substitute and several amendments. Members rejected amendments to include public entities as owners and to extend the right to cure to subcontractors, but adopted amendments removing Attorney General enforcement authority and making additional clarifying changes. Supporters emphasized accountability for unpaid wages and protecting vulnerable workers; opponents raised concerns about the scope of liability. The amended bill was reported out 6-3. HB 2372 would require workers’ compensation time loss benefits to include the full employer health care premium contribution rather than a partial percentage. An amendment to add L&I invoice and notice requirements and bar attorney fees on the health-care-premium portion was rejected, and the bill was then reported out 6-3. The committee also held public hearings on HB 2563 and HB 2188. HB 2563 would allow the Office of Administrative Hearings to automatically serve unemployment-case notices electronically during a pilot period ending July 30, 2029. OAH testified that the change would reduce mailing costs and improve service, while the Unemployment Law Project warned it would harm claimants with limited digital access and create procedural barriers; no action was taken during the hearing. HB 2188 would require L&I to publish actuarial indicated workers’ compensation rates and explain when rate caps shift costs to other classes. Business groups supported the transparency measure, and L&I testified it could provide the information and that the bill would have no fiscal impact; the hearing was closed without action.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Health Finance and Policy Committee 3/23/26

Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • Their premiums are based on their incomes.
  • Their premiums are based on their incomes.
  • Their premiums are based on their incomes.
  • Their premiums are based on their incomes.
  • Their premiums are based on their incomes.
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

Senate - Tax, Business and Transportation Feb 10th, 2026 at 04:43 pm

Senate Tax, Business & Transportation

Transcript Highlights:
  • While the prospect of increased cost to plan sponsors and higher premiums for patients are important,
  • OSI has looked at the premium impact and, based on this version, which has a more confined and defined
  • definition of mental illness, we do not expect to see significant premium increases.
  • So if someone can afford their premiums and they stop paying for Medigap, you can't re-enroll because
  • So if someone can afford their premiums and they stop paying for Metagap, you can't re-enroll because
Bills: SB20 , SB21 , SB166 , SB177 , SB181 , SB189 , SM6
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Business, Trade & Economic Development Jan 28th, 2026 at 08:00 am

Business, Trade & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • The bill specifies that rounding is applied after all applicable taxes, fees, adjustments, or discounts
  • Set a high base price, and use different discounts to charge some people more than others.
  • However, she said the bill has unintended consequences for loyalty programs and discounts that consumers
  • However, the bill does have unintended consequences for loyalty programs in discounts that consumers
  • It specifies how travel insurers must pay the state insurance premium tax on travel insurance premiums
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Financial Services Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am

Joint Committee on Financial Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • You mentioned increase of premiums in the Northeast.
  • An Act relative to surcharges on local insurance premiums.
  • It's going to ensure fairer auto insurance premiums.
  • geographic territory in premium setting.
  • has led to excessively high premiums for various communities.
Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing on a wide range of auto insurance and vehicle-related bills. Testimony focused heavily on autonomous vehicle regulation, auto insurance rating by ZIP code, rental car liability coverage, and surcharge thresholds for minor accidents. Representative Polito supported a bill to regulate autonomous vehicle testing and deployment, arguing for school-zone restrictions, slower speeds, a remote kill switch, and minimum insurance requirements to protect the public. Representative Mendez and Senator Payano testified for legislation to reduce racial and socioeconomic inequities in auto insurance pricing by limiting the weight insurers may place on territorial loss costs, while the Mass Insurance Federation and Consumer Federation of America offered opposing and supporting views, respectively, on the fairness and actuarial impact of geographic rating. The committee also heard support for a bill to remove inspection-sticker violations from license-point calculations, and for a bill to raise the damage threshold for insurance surcharges and minor/major accident classifications. A substantial portion of the hearing addressed House Bill 1301 on rental car liability. Enterprise Mobility, the American Car Rental Association, and a small Massachusetts rental company supported the bill, saying personal auto insurers should be primary when their insureds drive rental cars, that Massachusetts is an outlier compared with most other states, and that the change would reduce costs and simplify claims handling. The Mass Insurance Federation opposed the bill, arguing that current Massachusetts law already clearly makes the vehicle owner’s policy primary and that shifting liability would raise costs for private-passenger policyholders. Committee members asked detailed questions about how rental coverage works, whether premiums or rental rates would change, and how other states handle the issue. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to adjust surcharge rules for at-fault accidents, with sponsors arguing that repair costs and vehicle values have risen sharply and that the current thresholds are outdated. Members discussed how the point system affects drivers, whether the proposal should apply cumulatively or per incident, and how Carfax and out-of-pocket repairs factor into consumer costs. At the end of the hearing, the chair noted written testimony could still be submitted and, during a brief personal privilege, recorded support for two underinsurance bills, H. 1109 and S. 748. The committee then moved and seconded a motion to adjourn, and the hearing ended without any votes on the bills themselves.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Mar 3rd, 2026

Washington House Floor Meeting

Summary: The House received several messages from the Senate announcing passage of engrossed or substitute versions of House Bill 2294, House Bill 2472, Senate Bill 606, Senate Bill 6335, engrossed substitute Senate Bill 6266, and engrossed substitute House Bill 3. The chamber then moved through second and third reading on a series of measures, often suspending the rules to advance bills to final passage. A major floor debate centered on Senate Concurrent Resolution 8406, which would reestablish the Joint Select Committee on Civic Health and expand its membership. Amendment 2131, offered to keep the committee at its current size rather than expanding it, was rejected after debate over fiscal restraint, committee scope, and whether the body functioned like a “proxy legislature.” The resolution then passed 83-10. The House also passed engrossed substitute Senate Bill 6200 on portable cooling devices for renters and mobile home occupants, Senate Bill 6084 on clarifying the prohibition on voting in more than one election, second engrossed substitute Senate Bill 5105 on sexually explicit depictions involving minors, and Senate Bill 6046 authorizing the Civil Air Patrol to be used by the governor in emergencies; each drew debate over policy scope, enforcement, and state-federal authority, but all ultimately passed. The House next passed substitute Senate Bill 6054, limiting HOA and common-interest community restrictions that conflict with wildfire-hardening measures; substitute Senate Bill 6091, requiring greater transparency in real estate broker practices; Senate Bill 6291, giving more time to train and certify on-site wastewater inspectors; substitute Senate Bill 6081, creating a Public Records Act exemption for sex designation information to protect transgender people from doxxing and harassment; Senate Bill 5963, automatically enrolling certain vulnerable students in the Washington College Grant; and substitute Senate Bill 6226, addressing audiology scope-of-practice and telemedicine concerns. Most of these bills passed with broad bipartisan support, though some drew dissent over added regulation, privacy, or scope-of-practice issues. The final portion of the transcript focused on Senate Bill 6106, which the Speaker ruled had an out-of-scope amendment related to agricultural seasonal workers; the bill itself passed 75-18 after debate over layoff notices and tribal sovereignty. Substitute Senate Bill 6014, dealing with pregnancy accommodations and related public records issues, saw a failed amendment to replace gender-neutral language with “pregnant woman” and then passed 68-25. The House also debated Senate Bill 5820, with multiple amendments concerning freight rail, greenhouse gas calculations, county planning, property rights, and rail safety; the excerpt ends amid that amendment debate before final action on the bill is shown.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Insurance May 6th, 2026

Insurance

Transcript Highlights:
  • So... ...premiums. So it ultimately raises costs. Okay.
  • It's about 15% cheaper in premium than the traditional side.
  • We get lots of complaints about rising premiums.
  • What I will say is that premiums have gone up, but there is not an increase in premiums in those states
  • Premiums have not gone up.
Committee: Senate Insurance
Summary: The Senate Committee on Insurance met on May 6, 2026, and first reported HB 1241 favorably. That bill, by Chairman Furman, requires insurers to check with DCFS before paying certain insurance settlements to determine whether the recipient owes delinquent child support, and to withhold and remit arrears if found. DCFS explained that Louisiana already has intercepts and other collection tools, but no current mechanism for insurance settlements. Senators raised concerns about notice to obligors and about liability if insurers fail to withhold, but the bill was advanced without objection. The committee then heard HB 870, which would require health insurers and PBMs to cover lower-cost generic or biosimilar drugs when available and to use utilization management no more restrictively on those drugs. Supporters said the bill would improve access and lower patient costs by using wholesale acquisition cost as the comparison point. Opponents, including Louisiana Blue and the AFL-CIO, argued that WAC ignores rebates and net cost, could force plans to cover higher-cost biosimilars first, and could increase premiums and disrupt ERISA and fully insured plan design. The committee adopted a technical amendment set and then a second amendment set that added notice and reporting requirements tied to net cost calculations, and HB 870 was reported favorably as amended. Several other bills were moved with little or no opposition. HB 1176, concerning Medicare Advantage coverage for integrative cancer treatments such as cold cap therapy, cryotherapy, and acupuncture, was amended to change the effective date and then reported favorably. HB 1196, dealing with colorectal cancer screening follow-up colonoscopies, was also amended and reported favorably. HB 1162, a consumer protection bill requiring DOI to verify that a contractor named on a first-party property damage check is licensed in Louisiana, was amended and reported favorably. HB 826, which modernizes insurance referral rules to allow referrals by email or website address, was reported favorably. The committee also heard HB 1151 on insurer investment limits and solvency protections, and HB 1236 on pharmacy reimbursement and copay maximizer programs; both drew substantial testimony and concern, especially over retroactivity, PBM cost allocation, and whether copay maximizers shift costs to patients, but the transcript cuts off before final action on HB 1236.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Insurance Committee Apr 2nd, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • It's now up in the sort of top six, top 10, depending on how you measure it in terms of premium dollars
  • So the business, in some cases, this 11.5% might be what we call minimum premium.
  • , well, I’ll get into the cannabis business if I know I’m not short-covering or writing a minimum premium
  • The Safer from Wildfire program is the only avenue open to consumers to receive direct discounts for
  • These insurance discounts are a great incentive, and it costs the state nothing to offer it.
Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee met as a subcommittee and heard several bills focused on insurance transparency, wildfire mitigation, market access, and workforce issues. AB 75 would require insurers to give homeowners 30 days’ notice before collecting aerial images of their property and allow homeowners to review those images; supporters said it would improve privacy and prevent inaccurate non-renewals, while consumer and industry groups both sought amendments. AB 234 would add the Assembly Speaker and Senate President pro Tem, or designees, as non-voting members on the California FAIR Plan governing committee; the Department of Insurance supported it as an oversight measure, while Consumer Federation of California said it was only a small first step toward broader transparency reforms. AB 428 would let water corporations join joint powers authorities for pooled insurance, with supporters citing rising insurance costs for small water systems and no remaining opposition after amendments. AB 943 would streamline producer pre-licensing education by removing the 20-hour per-line requirement while keeping ethics training; industry sponsors said it would reduce barriers to entry, while consumer advocates warned it could lower professional standards. AB 1209 would create a pathway for cannabis employers to secure workers’ compensation coverage and related services through a state-coordinated network; supporters said it would help bring the industry into compliance, while one member raised concerns about creating a special carveout for a federally restricted industry. AB 1 would require periodic review of the state’s Safer from Wildfire regulations every five years, and it drew broad support from the department, insurers, local governments, and industry groups as a way to keep wildfire mitigation incentives current. The committee also took up a consent calendar including AB 69, AB 487, and AB 570, all of which were sent to Appropriations. The committee approved AB 75 to Privacy and Consumer Protection, AB 234 to the Assembly Floor, AB 428 to Local Government, AB 943 to Appropriations, AB 1209 to Business and Professions, and AB 1 to Appropriations. Most measures passed on strong or unanimous votes after members added coauthor requests and expressed support for the bills’ consumer protection, transparency, or wildfire-related goals.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Commerce Apr 7th, 2026

Commerce

Transcript Highlights:
  • So I've heard a few people who didn't get much of a discount when they put on a roof; that will change
  • So I've heard a few people who didn't get much of a discount when they put on a roof that will change
  • So while it might be up front one to three more, you will get a discount as of January 1.
  • And the LDI, which supports this, gave me the discount range.
  • So, if we're banking on an insurance discount, it's important to understand that discount is not guaranteed
Bills: HB461 , HB467 , HB522 , HB565 , HB673 , HB799 , HB917 , HB937 , HB956 , HB977
FL
Transcript Highlights:
  • DISCOUNTS FOR THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE ON THEIR HOME.
  • IN TERMS OF THE EFFECT ON PREMIUM DISCOUNTS, THAT WAS JULY 1.
  • SINCE THE NOVEMBER 20 TODAY. 25% HAVE SEEN A PREMIUM REDUCTION.
  • YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN SOME FOLKS ONLY SAW THEIR PREMIUMS STABILIZED MEANING THEY DIDN'T GO UP OR
  • OTHERS SAW SOME INCREASES AND YOU WILL SEE AT THE BOTTOM THERE IS A NO PREMIUM INFORMATION.
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

House Commerce and Consumer Affairs (04/16/2026)

Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • And so we will see immediate, you know, rate reductions and premium discounts for those homes. improve
  • </c> insurance premiums. insurance premiums.
  • are changing, you know, and the value that you're getting for your premium, premium, premium, um um
  • </c> their group insurance premiums. their group insurance premiums.
  • </c> from premium pressure. from premium pressure.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Health and Human Services - 01/21/25

Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • So we're spending almost half of every premium dollar on bureaucracy.
  • So we're spending almost half of every premium dollar on bureaucracy.
  • </c> obtain drugs at a steeply discounted obtain drugs at a steeply discounted level<01:25:01.080><c>
  • </c><01:31:30.239><c> so</c> um uh required to provide discounts so um uh required to provide discounts
  • And if you have a high-cost drug, a high discount is a large number.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

State Affairs Mar 26th, 2025

State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • I don't have to mention raising premiums; I think everybody in this room knows that.
  • But we feel this is a good start, and adding the discount factor is appropriate for years further out
  • I agree with you that there should be a premium or some sort of hurdle put on the investment.
  • How does the discount rate factor in or protect consumers from overpaying for transmission?
  • I think a discount factory is something you definitely have to put in. Let's talk about that.
Committee: House State Affairs
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session - 04/07/26

Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> manufacturers to provide discounted manufacturers to provide discounted drugs<00:13:54.680><c> to
  • . year got $1.3 billion in 340B discounts.
  • </c> response to offering 340B discounted response to offering 340B discounted prices<00:19:34.480><c
  • And so, I I I billion in 340B discounts.
  • </c> who can barely afford their premiums. who can barely afford their premiums.