Official Text and Analysis.

Establishes, subject to availability of funds, a premium assistance program for individuals purchasing health insurance on the Health Benefit Exchange.

Clarifies that to be eligible for state subsidies, an individual must first apply for and accept all federal tax credits and subsidies for which they are eligible. • Requires hospital systems of four or more hospitals to contract with at least two public option plans in each county of geographic rating area where the system has at least one hospital. A hospital system is not required to comply with the contracting requirement in a county unless it receives offers to contract from at least two carriers, and if the hospital only receives one offer, it is only required to contract with one plan.

Removes requirement that an individual must be enrolled in a silver or gold standard plan to be eligible for state subsidies and instead requires that an individual be enrolled in a qualified health plan.

Removes the authority for the exchange to request cost and quality of care data from carriers.

(1) Requires the program to be administered by the Exchange, instead of being established by the Exchange. (2) Requires the amounts of premium assistance and cost-sharing reductions to be established by the Exchange within the parameters established in the Operating Budget. (3) Requires procedural requirements for the program to be consistent with the Operating Budget. (4) Allows the income eligibility threshold to be established through appropriation or by the Exchange if no income threshold is determined by appropriation (instead of being set at 500 percent of the federal poverty level or a lower level established by appropriation).

Requires, if public option plans are not available statewide in 2022, a hospital to contract with at least one public option plan (instead of with "the" public option plan) upon an offer from a public option plan (instead of "at the request of" a public option plan). Exempts hospitals owned and operated by health maintenance organizations from the contracting requirement.

Senate concurred in House amendment(s).