On June 9, Representatives Ron Kind (D-Wisc.) and Phil English (R-Pa.) introduced companion legislation to the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Act of 2008 (S. 2795/H.R. 6210) with several technical changes.

As previously reported, Senators Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.)and Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) introduced the SHOP Act in April, which would establish national and state-run purchasing pools for small employers, including the self-employed. The legislation is an amalgamation of legislation proposed in previous congresses by the current bill’s sponsors.

The House companion bill offers several technical changes to the Senate version, including: an increase to the amount of premium costs that an employee must pay from 100 percent to 102 percent in order to be consistent with COBRA, the addition of no less than 1 representative with a patient perspective to be appointed to the Small Business Health Board, revisions to penalties for employers who fail to pay premiums and a new section entitled, “State Law Harmonization,” to provide for the Administrator to contract with National Association of Insurance Commissioners to conduct a “study of administrative procedures, including rate and form filing, standards of external review, and standards of internal review” in state markets.

Click here to read more on the Senate SHOP Act.