Interstate Commerce in Health Insurance

Representatives Melissa Bean and Edward Royce introduced H.R. 1880 in the House on April 2, 2009. The bill was referred to the House Financial Services Committee, House Judiciary Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee. No hearings or markups have been held on this bill:

• This bill would create a federal charter for the insurance industry, including insurers, insurance agencies, and independent insurance producers.
• The federal insurance regulatory apparatus would be an independent entity under the Department of the Treasury and would preempt most state insurance laws for nationally regulated entities.
• Thus, nationally licensed insurers, agencies, and producers would be able to operate in the entire United States without fulfilling the requirements of each individual 50 states’ insurance laws (CRS 2009: 11).

References

• CRS. Insurance Regulation: Issues, Background, and Legislation in the 111th Congress. Congressional Research Service, R40771, August 19, 2009. [Full Text (pdf)]