Chris Ferruso, the Ohio State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), addressed the Ohio Senate Insurance Committee this week. His testimony focused on concerns regarding House Bill 24, which proposes a mandate for biomarker testing coverage across various health plans, including private-sector fully insured health, public employee benefit, and Medicaid plans.
Ferruso highlighted that small business owners are apprehensive about the financial implications of this mandate. He pointed out that health insurance costs have been a primary concern for small businesses nationwide since 1986. "We want to acknowledge that Rep. Andrea White has been very willing to discuss ideas on how to alleviate our issues with House Bill 24," Ferruso stated. "We are immensely appreciative of her willingness to try and address our concerns."
He mentioned an example of progress through the addition of uncodified language intended to prevent significant price increases but noted it does not entirely resolve worries about future test costs.
To address these concerns, NFIB suggested looking at Ohio Revised Code 3923.52 (D)(2), which deals with reimbursement for mammography screenings as a potential model.
Ferruso concluded by acknowledging the importance of early detection and treatment in healthcare. "Our members want the best health outcomes for their employees," he said. However, he emphasized the need to avoid making biomarker tests prohibitively expensive due to government-mandated coverage.
