Rep. David J. Toscano

Requires a rate filing by a health carrier that proposes area rate factors in the individual or small group market that exceed the weighted average of the proposed area rate factors among all rating areas by more than 15 percent to include, in publicly available and unredacted form, a comparison of the area rate factor for individual and small group plans that are comparable in structure and a disclosure of the area rate factor methodology. In addition, to the extent that the health carrier is deriving any area rate factor from experience data, the measure requires the health carrier to provide additional information, including aggregated incurred claims for any provider exceeding 30 percent of total claims for the rating area that market. The measure requires the State Corporation Commission to hold a public hearing before approving such proposed rates. The measure also bars the Commission from approving such a proposed rate filing if (i) a variance in area rate factors, indexed to the same rating region for both the individual and small group markets, of 15 percent or more exists between health benefit plans a carrier intends to offer in the individual market and health benefit plans intended to be offered in the small group market, when those plans are comparable in structure and provider networks; and (ii) the methodologies used to calculate the area rate factors are different between the two markets. The measure provides that beginning for plan year 2020, a health carrier with an approved rate filing that contains at least one area rate factor that exceeds by more than 25 percent the weighted average of the area rate factors among all rating areas in a market in which the health carrier offers individual or small group health insurance coverage shall file with the Commission for each calendar quarter during that plan year a report that provides, for each rating area within the market in which the health carrier operates, the plan's enrollment, total premiums, allowed claims, incurred claims excluding anticipated or, if available, actual risk adjustment payments or receipts, incurred claims including anticipated or, if available, actual risk adjustment payments or receipts, loss ratio, and aggregate claims, for each provider exceeding 25 percent of total claims for that rating area. The health carrier shall make each such quarterly report publicly available, without redaction, not later than 45 days after the end of the calendar quarter.

Requires the Board of Education to establish a statewide unified public-private system for early childhood care and education in the Commonwealth to be administered by the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Department of Education. The bill transfers the authority to license and regulate child day programs and other early child care agencies from the Board of Social Services and Department of Social Services to the Board of Education and the Department of Education. The bill maintains current licensure, background check, and other requirements of such programs. The bill establishes the Early Childhood Innovation Fund for the purpose of facilitating regional public-private collaboration and to field test innovative strategies and evidence-based practices that support a robust system of comprehensive early childhood care and education services to deliver measurable school readiness outcomes and meet regional workforce support needs. Such provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2021.

Requires investor-owned electric utilities, cooperative electric utilities, and investor-owned natural gas distribution utilities to meet incremental annual energy efficiency goals. Electric utilities are required to implement cost-effective energy efficiency measures to achieve the goal of two percent savings by 2034 and thereafter, with interim goals that start at 0.25 percent for 2020-2021 and increase in biennial increments of 0.25 percent until 2034. Gas utilities are required to achieve the goal of one percent savings by 2034 and thereafter, with interim goals that start at 0.125 percent for 2020-2021 and increase in biennial increments of 0.125 percent until 2034. The utilities are required to submit energy efficiency plans with the State Corporation Commission (SCC). The SCC (i) shall order changes to a plan submitted by a utility that does not demonstrate that the utility will achieve incremental annual energy efficiency goals; (ii) shall require utilities to commence compliance efforts with the incremental annual energy efficiency goals during calendar year 2020, though it may adjust the goal for 2020 if appropriate to address a partial year of implementation; (iii) may design performance incentives that reward utilities for exceeding efficiency goals; (iv) shall require utilities to report annually to the SCC on their efforts and progress in meeting the incremental annual energy efficiency goals; and (v) shall submit reports regarding compliance with the requirements of the incremental annual energy efficiency goals every five years.