Bill would allow out-of-state carriers to sell health insurance in Oklahoma

A bill allowing out-of-state insurance carriers to sell plans in Oklahoma will be heard in committee next week.

The House author of Senate Bill 478 said his measure would give Oklahoma residents a chance to buy less expensive health insurance, but opponents have criticized the fact that those policies might not have the coverage mandates consumers need or expect.

State Rep. Lewis Moore, R-Arcadia, originally scheduled his bill to be heard in committee last Tuesday, but he agreed to wait another week because he also introduced an amendment that other members of the House Insurance Committee hadn't seen yet.

If it advanced into law, the bill would let the Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner enter into an agreement with other states that allow cross-border insurance sales. The goal, Moore said, is to lure carriers in larger, healthier states.

Read more: http://newsok.com/bill-would-allow-out-of-state-carriers-to-sell-health-insurance-in-oklahoma/article/5544595