Arizona Senate Bill 1593 will allow private insurance providers to circumvent Arizona's insurance laws. This includes the option to no longer cover behavioral health services for their employees. We believe this bill will put jobs in jeopardy; the effect of which is in direct opposition to the legislature's commitment of "Jobs are Number One."
This does not bode well for anyone who receives insurance coverage, of any kind, through their employer; as it will allow their employer to adopt the insurance practices of another state that does not cover certain services.
It provides a stipulation that insurance practices will be monitored by an "Independent External Review" board, but does not clarify whether this will be the State itself that will end up regulating the policies and practices of private insurers.
SB 1593 has already passed both the House and Senate, and is currently awaiting Governor Brewer to either sign or veto the bill.
Please direct all your concerns to her at:
http://www.azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp
Full Mailing Address:
The Honorable Jan Brewer
Governor of Arizona
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Telephone: 602.542.4331
Toll Free: 1.800.253.0883
Fax: (602) 542-1381
This is the link to the bill itself:
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/50leg/1r/bills/sb1593p.pdf
It was introduced by Senators:
Barto, Allen, Bundgaard, Crandall, Griffin, Murphy, Nelson,
Pearce R, Yarbrough: Driggs, Gould, Gray, Klein, Melvin, Reagan and Smith
