The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) is seeking applicants to the Essential Health Benefits Rulemaking Advisory Committee. This advisory committee will play an important role in the selection of Oregon’s essential health benefits and standard plan design for 2017. Essential health benefits are a set of health care services that all health insurance plans in the individual and small group markets must cover with no annual or lifetime dollar limits. Essential health benefits are defined by a benchmark plan selected by DCBS that reflects a “typical employer plan” available in Oregon. Oregon must notify the federal government of its benchmark plan selection in June 2015. Oregon standard health plans are designed by DCBS for the bronze, silver, and gold metal tiers in the individual and small group markets and have identical cost sharing across insurance companies. This means that all standard plans will have the same deductibles, co-payments, co-insurance, and out-of-pocket maximums. “We are seeking thoughtful people with relevant experience and a variety of perspectives to serve on the committee,” said Insurance Commissioner Laura Cali. “Whether they are consumers of health care, medical providers, health insurance agents, small business owners, or insurance industry professionals, all with a desire to make a difference in Oregon are urged to apply.” The committee will be tasked with a number of duties, including the following: * Reviewing the benchmark plan options; * Recommending a benchmark plan; * Determining whether supplemental benefits are necessary to meet federal requirements; * Recommending any required supplemental benefits; * Recommending plan designs for Oregon’s standard plans. Meetings are tentatively scheduled to be held every other week beginning in the second week of April and ending in the third week of June. Meetings will be held in person at the Labor and Industries Building in Salem and will be open to the public as well as streamed online. The deadline for applications to the committee is 5 p.m. on March 30. Information on how to apply can be found online at http://www.oregon.gov/DCBS/insurance/legal/committees-workgroups/Pages/essential-health-benefits/essential-health-benefits.aspx. Committee appointments will be announced by April 3. The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.dcbs.oregon.gov or follow www.twitter.com/OregonDCBS.
