The House and Senate Public Health committees met today to hear updates on the “private option” plan for expanding healthcare coverage. Key Republican lawmakers — particularly Rep. John Burris, Sen. Jonathan Dismang, and Sen. David Sanders — have been working closely on an informal basis with the Department of Human Services and the Insurance Department to develop the policy details since the session ended, but frequent check-ins with other lawmakers are likely in the interim between sessions. Burris said he anticipates meeting on the plan at least on a monthly basis, and said there was a need for “legislative input…to make sure it’s implemented correctly.” He noted several times that a legislative supermajority approval for the appropriation will be needed each year. Should be fun!
DHS Director John Selig, Surgeon General Joe Thompson, and Exchange Director Cynthia Crone testified. After the jump, some of the policy details and lingering questions that emerged.