JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri House of Representatives has passed a bill that would enable Missouri businesses to find out about lower-cost, high-value health insurance options available in the state.
House Bill 942, sponsored by House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann (R-O’Fallon), allows multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA) health insurance providers to publicly market approved MEWA plans.
In response to growing concern from businesses about rising health insurance costs, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry launched a MEWA for chamber members in 2017. This innovative model enables smaller employers to join together and share in the overall claims risk by being part of larger self-funded pool. The program has given many small businesses in Missouri significant savings while maintaining or improving quality of coverage.
However, current Missouri law prohibits brokers and providers from marketing MEWA plans to the public — making it nearly impossible for eligible groups to find out about this valuable health insurance alternative. House Bill 942 would remedy this problem.
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a leading advocate for this change.
“We have been thrilled to see more than 1,100 of our small business members take advantage of the MEWA model we brought to Missouri, and we regularly hear how it is leading to major savings while providing great coverage for their employees,” said Daniel P. Mehan, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry president and CEO. “However, we want to ensure that this cost-saving option is available to all eligible businesses in the state, and House Bill 942 will achieve that. We would like to thank House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann and the Missouri House of Representatives for passing this important legislation and we urge the Missouri Senate to do the same.”
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the largest business association in Missouri. Together with the Missouri Chamber Federation, the Missouri Chamber represents more than 75,000 employers. To learn more, go to www.mochamber.com, or follow us @MissouriChamber on Twitter.
