AZ Legislative Update – March 4, 2022
Posted by [email protected] on Mar. 4, 2022 / AZ Legislative Update / Subscribe 0
AZ Legislative Update – March 4, 2022
Today marks the 54th day of the Arizona 55th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session. Coming off the crossover week, committee agendas were fairly light; however, legislators spent a significant amount of time on the floor voting bills out of their respective chambers. With only three weeks remaining for bills to be heard in committees (March 25th deadline), activity at the Capitol will start to significantly pick up as members look to keep their bills moving forward.
On Tuesday, the Arizona Senate voted, 24-3, to censure Senator Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff). Last weekend, Rogers participated at a white nationalist conference where she told participants that her political enemies should all be hung from a “newly built set of gallows.” Rogers also praised the group’s leader, Nick Fuentes, an admitted white supremacist, and Holocaust denier. In the recent days, on social media, Rogers has double downed on her controversial comments while praising Russian President Vladimir Putin and putting down Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. There is some discussion that Rogers may be stripped of her committee assignments. With Republicans hanging on to only a one seat majority in the Senate, we will be watching very closely how this will impact the dynamics of the chamber.
Below, please find a few bills that we would like to highlight. Additionally, attached, you will find your full tracking list of bills.
We are continuing to engage members and staff on your top legislative priorities. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Health Insurance
HB 2144 Health Insurance Coverage; Biomarker Testing (Cobb): HB 2144 will be heard on Wednesday morning in the Senate Finance Committee. This bill requires hospital and medical service corporations, health care service organizations, disability insurers and group or blanket disability insurers to provide coverage for biomarker testing. HB 2144 directs the AHCCS and its contractors to provide biomarker testing for its members and describes procedures for usage and coverage of biomarker testing. We are continuing to engage the sponsor and members regarding changes to this troubling mandate bill.
HB 2698 Insurance; Assignment of Benefits (Martinez): HB 2698 passed out of the House Rules on Monday morning on a straight partisan vote, despite the potential constitutional issues dealing with ERISA preemption. The bill stipulates that statute prohibiting insurance payments for services from being made to anyone other than the health care provider to whom payment was assigned applies to an insurer whether acting as an insurer or performing administrative services.
Insurance Operations
SB 1118 Insurance; Fees; Consent; Limits (Livingston): SB 1118 will be heard in the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday afternoon. The bill makes various minor changes to statutes relating to insurance which include modernization language with regards to customer communications, clarifying language for motor vehicle policy exclusions, amends the definition of an advisory organization and reduces agency filing fees. SB 1118 allows consumers to receive discounts on Medicare supplemental plans.
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