[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6337150,"mediaKeyId","2274297-42f3108c9e7dc08d987bfe75ae7ad4e4","parentId",2274297,"title","Committee approves cleanup bill to align licensing language for insurance and PBM administrators","audioSeconds",289,"startMs",1879000,"endMs",2168000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2274297-42f3108c9e7dc08d987bfe75ae7ad4e4&start=1879&end=2168","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2274297-42f3108c9e7dc08d987bfe75ae7ad4e4/thumbnail_1879000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6337150/North-Dakota/Committee-approves-cleanup-bill-to-align-licensing-language-for-insurance-and-PBM-administrators","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6337150-dafc21048f322aa4c7a6fa2ee6c574c7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771222412&Signature=ZHd374WMPAMLpe1naMb1v73zzTBaG-dCzl-sZ2GOcBc1xhjM7nkAUF82Ao6EfT437AfvnhIjJO8C9HoALEnDUrZgwCsg6LgfVUxuVq1~-vcDW2WS0aH0Aiqt3gjDzsKTnJKHBV30q~T8WeEeJf~07cIv70pRm-XqcxA7C66S9LPH0xqUoqwvTASfcK~ZxvmJ0wnYMzN~XSgn5vh-LuZiq1zF2zeh9Y6Sp55QNbbzEDJQ8xqlRnf2l89ZWu-eXYGg0BpOXjYMm1Z6fFatso0ZBLuIk3LEn3lqjpy2fpG3BnGp-PJ4P8aU~7fztYJ2MLkTlce1g6JAcdEBe6iiWP52-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Dakota State Legislature","date","2025-02-12T00:00:00Z","article","Bismarck — The Senate Human Services Committee voted unanimously to recommend House Bill 1087, a housekeeping measure from the Insurance Department that replaces references to a “certificate of authority” with “license” in the producer-licensing statutes and clarifies registration language for administrators of life, health and pharmacy benefit managers.

Janelle Mittelstedt, division director for producer licensing with the North Dakota Insurance Department, told the committee, “This is an agency bill addressing verbiage related to licensing for administrators of life, health and pharmacy benefit managers.” She said the change replaces company-side language (certificate of authority) with license language appropriate for producer licensing in chapter 26, improving clarity and consistency in statute.

Mittelstedt noted the bill is strictly verbiage cleanup and not the substantive pharmacy benefit manager policy measure that had been discussed in a separate bill (House Bill 1584). Committee members thanked staff for the clarification and moved the bill forward.

Senator Rohrs moved that the committee recommend do pass on House Bill 1087; the motion was seconded by Senator Hogan. The roll call recorded aye votes from Senators Lee, Weston, Rohrs, Hogan, Van Osteen and Clemens and the motion passed 6-0. The committee recorded that no fiscal note was attached to the bill during the hearing and a senator volunteered to carry the bill to the floor.

The measure is intended to align statutory language with current licensing practice and ease administration for the department and regulated producers.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Human Services Wednesday, Feb 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 1087, an agency bill to replace outdated references to \"certificate of authority\" with \"license\" in producer licensing statutes and to clarify licensing language for pharmacy benefit managers, passed the committee 6-0.","taxTitle","Human Services, Senate, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28905,"location","North Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6337154,"Committee clears bill removing employee cost share, adds amendment to ban balance billing",714,1124000,1838000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2274297-42f3108c9e7dc08d987bfe75ae7ad4e4&start=1124&end=1838","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2274297-42f3108c9e7dc08d987bfe75ae7ad4e4/thumbnail_1124000.jpg","/articles/6337154/North-Dakota/Committee-clears-bill-removing-employee-cost-share-adds-amendment-to-ban-balance-billing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6337154-dbd306ade17c655835d8fae33b4fdd26/orig.mp4?Expires=1771222412&Signature=W9p2davNflLmu~zptvfwddMHISIY8I~ajz-ucSotXWaWbUjK0UVBew9e21IXAGjWRk6C9OMZg4EN7CYFWjPle7~SdH76wCmPyflB5GMQkEIy5B2SfGuB97cjmN5juuN3~3G8ceFxZdPK6pn1v0YZBkCeV6d67sOiOUexiExKDqvNQF3RENTIUCahwtEYf3Z~wwlq7sB1-17gt-Py7Hehk2z8Jj0azIcSBycyPpm8f-e9qDIYG-KIRlZmwqEh7MwyJKX094JC62e9XMophOuqTNC8apSKA5p7px3ZS5DXa5gpEq8iQ5UfFBE8kOp-8qHndW-BqL3W9XGkzEwAzcspuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bismarck — The Senate Human Services Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 2160 and re-refer it to appropriations after members agreed not to add an employee cost share and to adopt an amendment that prevents balance billing by providers.

Committee members discussed the bill’s benefit design and whether employees should pay a portion of the premium. Committee members reported conversations with appropriators led to the decision that, if no cost share is required, the bill can remain as written and the benefit will remain a fully paid premium for the employee.

Senator Rohrs moved the committee recommendation (do pass and re-refer to Appropriations). The motion was seconded and, on roll call, Senators Lee, Weston, Rohrs, Hogan, Van Osteen and Clemens voted aye; the committee approved the motion 6-0.

Following the initial committee action, members and staff discussed an amendment offered by Crystal Bartuska to clarify provider billing language and prohibit balance billing for covered services. Committee members said the amendment would clarify that a preferred provider arrangement may not restrict a covered person from receiving covered services at the contracted provider rate and would prevent a provider from billing the patient the difference between the contracted amount and billed charges (balance billing).

The committee adopted Bartuska’s amendment and later voted to do pass the amended measure. The do-pass-as-amended motion, moved by Senator Rohrs and seconded by Senator Weston, carried on a 6-0 roll call (Lee, Weston, Rohrs, Hogan, Van Osteen, Clemens all voting aye). Committee members noted there was no fiscal note during the committee votes. Senator Clemens agreed to serve as carrier for the amended bill.

The bill will be reconsidered by the appropriations committee with the amendment that specifies providers must accept the contracted rate for covered services and may not charge the difference to covered persons.","Senate Bill 2160 was advanced and re-referred to appropriations with committee action to keep premiums fully paid by the state; the committee also adopted language to prohibit balance billing and later passed the bill as amended, 6-0.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6337156,"Committee advances bill to clarify adoption agency licensing, fees and revocation rules",929,170000,1099000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2274297-42f3108c9e7dc08d987bfe75ae7ad4e4&start=170&end=1099","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2274297-42f3108c9e7dc08d987bfe75ae7ad4e4/thumbnail_170000.jpg","/articles/6337156/North-Dakota/Committee-advances-bill-to-clarify-adoption-agency-licensing-fees-and-revocation-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6337156-b1bc89d7b6f27fa71e92e69ee6b7c2ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1771222412&Signature=IsHneXPrRUnBqPfEUU5Yhjd3OHO88GlWLm-Jec-Eq5fzNgcGzWJrQT1zaybn9qki1ydci1LXcY1PuQ3LAfbwPRgDOA7FRK-f98o78wJDheVvEocjU3cTq6ejtYbjldl2yfZMwQ4zJynlMHwF5hqDAtJK1xeGQStrah2Zdd-wzGORmTiwig~GHGzjL2YTOX3mUIwTaXxjgsu4p4jkCpNnNih~BiqG4K82wh60XwsIMIBAXWnmfGfVCe0tyVQUib2YGOIsGjBw~R1gb6xe5WRLuigaJdugsBx1DBRT~VGvZtZoQlj2r1gCxJV9hF11LtxPGr8my~UUmofbMb3lNDtaug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bismarck — The Senate Human Services Committee on an uncontested 6-0 vote advanced House Bill 1120 on procedural and substantive changes to state law governing child-placing agencies and adoption procedures.

Kelsey Bless, a licensing unit representative for the Department of Human Services, told the committee she appeared “in support of House Bill 11 20, which was introduced at the request of the department.” She said the bill is intended to clarify Century Code sections related to adoption, reduce duplication across statutes and provide consistency for prospective adoptive parents, birth families, custodial agencies and licensed child-placing agencies.

The measure moves language about compensation and fees from Century Code 14-15-09 into section 50-12-09 to remove duplication; it amends 14-15-11 to expressly allow the department to serve as an approved source to complete an adoption investigation when a licensed child-placing agency has a conflict of interest; it reorganizes the rules on “reasonable fees” charged to adoptive families, and it consolidates separate revocation provisions into 50-12-10. The bill also seeks to repeal an out-of-state licensing section that the department says is already addressed in the North Dakota Administrative Code (75-03-36-05).

Bless told the committee the department licenses four child-placing agencies: three focused on adoption placements and one that assists with treatment foster care. She said the department had 13 conflict cases last year in which an alternate agency was asked to complete a home study (for example, where a couple was cohabiting rather than married). Bless said the licensing unit has 21 staff who could perform a home study in the event an agency recused itself for conflict reasons, and that the department proposed the 50-12-09 reorganization to make compensation parameters clearer.

The bill also removes a reference to “certified foster care providers” in the adoption-notice section; Bless said those certified providers generally offer short-term care (respite or emergency shelter) and cannot form the durable licensing relationship typically needed for adoption. The bill would allow reasonable fees related to a birth parent’s expenses to be charged up to six weeks after delivery to capture extended hospital stays or delivery-related medical complications.

Committee discussion included examples of conflict cases — for example, where a blood relative who has not married a long-term partner is the preferred adoptive placement and a faith-based agency will not handle an unmarried cohabiting couple — and whether same-sex couples have been approved historically (Bless said courts make final adoption decisions and that such adoptions have occurred). The committee asked for and received confirmation that the change is largely a statutory cleanup resulting from prior adoption-redesign work.

Senator Rohrs moved the committee recommendation (do pass) on House Bill 1120; the motion was seconded. On the roll call, Senators Lee, Weston, Rohrs, Hogan, Van Osteen and Clemens voted aye and the motion passed 6-0. Committee minutes record a volunteer carrier will be named for the bill.

The committee record shows the department asked that two narrowly focused repeal provisions be removed from separate parts of code and consolidated (for example, false-reporting revocation language consolidated into 50-12-10). No fiscal note was stated in committee.

The bill will move forward with the committee recommendation; further action will be scheduled by the Senate leadership and the bill’s carrier.

","The Senate Human Services Committee voted 6-0 to advance House Bill 1120, which reorganizes Century Code provisions governing licensed child-placing agencies, clarifies conflict-of-interest investigations, consolidates revocation language and allows reasonable adoption-related fees to cover up to six weeks after delivery.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves cleanup bill to align licensing language for insurance and PBM administrators

Committee clears bill removing employee cost share, adds amendment to ban balance billing

Committee advances bill to clarify adoption agency licensing, fees and revocation rules