JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – – Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins testified today before the Senate Committee on Insurance and Banking on Senate Bill 11. The bill is sponsored by Senator Sandy Crawford, committee chair.
STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT HAWKINS
Our challenge is to keep our youth who want to farm on the farm. Too many farmers and ranchers are employed off the farm as their only means to obtain health insurance. Some have no health coverage at all. Senator Crawford’s bill gives Farm Bureau the means to help those families with another option for affordable health coverage.
These plans are a proven solution for farm families and self-employed individuals in other states and will work in Missouri. Helping more Missourians access quality health coverage is good policy for everyone, especially for our farm families who produce food for our communities.
WHY THIS IS A GOOD BILL
• Proven: Six other state Farm Bureaus are offering this membership benefit with success. MOFB has a track-record of serving members for more than 100 years.
• Affordable: Plans are anticipated to be 30% less than comparable plans on the ACA. Plans are individually rated, allowing MOFB to accurately assess risk and offer cost-savings to members. In other states, nine out of ten applicants are offered coverage.
• Quality: Access to a nationwide provider network through a third-party administrator.
• Available without threat of cancellation: Once a member is approved, plans will continue, and expenses will be covered as long as members pay their premium and MOFB membership dues.
• Financially secure: The plans will be backed by the resources of MOFB and reinsurance.
