Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak will be conducting outreach meetings across the state to gather input from Tennesseans about the health conditions that should be covered under essential health benefit categories.

These public meetings are being held to gather public opinion on the determination of an essential health benefits package for health insurance coverage under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or PPACA.

All interested parties are invited to indicate which of 10 potential benchmark plans designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should be selected by the state as a benchmark or reference plan. Interested parties may also indicate how any of the plans might be modified, either to ensure the benchmark covers each of the 10 PPACA-required benefit categories, or for other reasons.

After considering the public input provided at the meetings and through written comments, Commissioner McPeak will recommend an essential health benefits benchmark to Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. Within 30 days of an approval by the Governor, the Insurance Commissioner will enact an administrative rule, based on his recommendation, that will designate the benchmark plan and the essential health benefit package to be included in individual and small-employer group health insurance plans offered on or after January 1, 2014.

We want to know what you think. Share your thoughts with us by sending an email to PubComm.HRF@tn.gov or by mailing the address listed below.

Chlora A. Lindley-Myers
Tenn. Dept. of Commerce and Insurance
500 James Robertson Parkway, 12th Floor

Nashville, TN 37243

To facilitate our posting of your public comments to our website, please include your comments in the body of your email. If you attach a documents with your public comments, please ensure it is a text-document that allows for the copying of text. Thank you.

July 17th, 1p to 3p @ Vanderbilt University's School of Nursing, Room 155 Nursing Annex, 461 21st Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37240

July 31st, 9a to 11a @ Kingsport Renaissance Center, 1200 E. Center Street, Kingsport, TN 37660

July 31st, 4p to 6p @ UT-Knoxville Conference Center Building 600 Henley Street Knoxville, TN 37902

August 1st, 10a to Noon @ Lee University Dixon Center, 1053 Church Street NE, Cleveland, TN 37311

August 3rd, 10a to 12p (noon) @ Hamilton Eye Institute Freeman Auditorium 930 Madison, 3rd Floor Memphis, TN 38103

August 3rd, 2p to 4p @ Jackson State Community College's McWherter's Ayers Auditorium

Public comment can be sent either through PubComm.HRF@tn.gov or to
Chlora A. Lindley-Myers
Tenn. Dept. of Commerce and Insurance
500 James Robertson Parkway, 12th Floor

Nashville, TN 37243