The Advisory Committee meets at the Health Care Authority in Olympia.

On Wednesday the new Advisory Committee of the Health Benefit Exchange held its first meeting in Olympia. The Committee is made up of technical experts from a wide range of stakeholders and is tasked with advising the Exchange Board of Directors.

The Exchange is the state centerpiece of federal health care reform where small businesses and individuals will be able to able to buy insurance and determine if they qualify for subsidies.

The Advisory Committee focused on one issue, whether the Exchange or the insurance companies should handle the aggregation of premiums and subsidies, and be responsible for billing of customers enrolled in individual health plans sold through the exchange. Since billing for small group plans is required to be handled by the Exchange, it made sense to most Committee members that individual plans should be handled the same way.

Nonetheless, when reminded by staff that aggregation and billing within the Exchange would add $5-$8 million in additional costs each year, the insurance company representatives made it clear that the proposal had better be cost effective for them and their customers.

The final decision will be made by the Board at their June or July meetings.

For further information on the Exchange, go to http://www.hca.wa.gov/hcr/exchange .

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