Enzi Health Insurance Legislation Would Jeopardize Lifesaving Coverage

Bill, S.1955, would allow health insurers to circumvent existing laws in
46 states that guarantee coverage for diabetes medications, supplies and
training

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) expressed its strong opposition to
proposed federal legislation that would enable health insurers to bypass
existing state health insurance regulations. In doing so, the "Health
Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act" (S. 1955) would
result in the loss of critical health coverage guarantees for millions of
people with diabetes. Forty-six states and the District of Columbia
require insurers to provide coverage for diabetes supplies, medication,
equipment and education, but S. 1955 would undermine those basic
protections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP)
Committee, chaired by bill sponsor Senator Michael Enzi, will mark up the
bill Wednesday morning. At the markup, Senator Jeff Bingaman will offer an
amendment to protect the diabetes coverage benefit in the states where it
is maintained in state law.

"These protections were enacted over the past decade with the bipartisan
support of legislatures, governors, and state insurance commissioners," L.
Hunter Limbaugh, the ADA's Chair for Advocacy, today wrote Sen. Enzi. "It
has been the Association's experience that without these protections,
state-regulated insurers often do not provide adequate diabetes coverage.
Indeed, in the four current states without mandated diabetes coverage,
insurers often do not provide these life-saving diabetes provisions."
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Legislation Would Jeopardize Lifesaving Coverage