The Legislature’s budget analysts say a bill to provide mental health parity in workers’ compensation would cost the state budget nothing in the next fiscal year and likely no more than $126,000 in fiscal 2019.
The Joint Fiscal Office presented the estimate Friday to the House Appropriations Committee, which has been looking at the cost implications of H.197. The bill will be discussed on the House floor as early as Thursday.
H.197 would expand workers’ compensation insurance coverage of mental health, including post-traumatic stress disorder for first responders. The National Council on Compensation Insurance and the Vermont League of Cities and Towns have warned that H.197 would increase workers’ compensation premiums.
Premiums for fiscal year 2018 have already been set, the Joint Fiscal Office said. “If H.197 were to become law … any potential changes to workers compensation premiums resulting from this legislation would not be felt until fiscal year 2019,” it said.
The Joint Fiscal Office said there is “very little experience” to use for projections, but using methodology from the National Council on Compensation Insurance and the state’s Office of Risk Management, the range would be zero to $126,000 gross, with $59,000 coming out of the state’s general fund.
“Outside of state government, most of the classifications expected to be impacted by this legislation, work for cities and towns that are members of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns,” the Joint Fiscal Office said. “At this time, the VLCT is working on its own estimates of what the potential impact to workers’ compensation premiums statewide will be.”
Rep. Kitty Toll, D-Danville, the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said her members took a straw poll Friday and all 10 who were present supported the bill.
Toll said she expects the committee to take additional testimony Tuesday, after formally having the bill assigned to her committee. She said there is no need for an appropriation in the fiscal year 2018 budget.
