HB2286 - 452R - House Bill Summary

House of Representatives

HB 2286

health care system task force

Sponsors: Representatives Carruthers, Cannell, O'Halleran, et al.

X	Committee on Health
	Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance
	Caucus and COW
	Third Read
	As Passed the House

HB 2286 creates a Statewide Health Care Task Force (Task Force) to continue the efforts of the Statewide Health Care Insurance Task Force created by Laws 2000, Chapter 320. The bill enables the Task Force to explore the feasibility of expanding and improving state and federal health insurance programs and enhance rural health care infrastructure.

History

Laws 2000, Chapter 320 created the Statewide Health Care Insurance Task Force consisting of six legislators and three public members representing consumers, health care providers and the business community. The Task Force was charged with developing the components for a statewide insurance plan and studying issues affecting accessibility and affordability of health care insurance for Arizona residents. The Statewide Health Care Insurance Task Force was repealed on December 31, 2001.

The Task Force received assistance with its efforts through the receipt of a $1.16 million State Planning Grant in March 2001 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) through the Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose of this grant was to help the Task Force study and develop a plan for providing Arizonans with affordable and accessible health insurance. Most of the grant monies were used to hire consulting firms to provide research briefing papers and make presentations to the Task force. William M. Mercer and Milliman USA, Inc. completed briefing papers on the following subjects:

· Purchasing Pools

· High Risk Pools

· Implementation of Incentives and Regulatory Mandates to Increase Health Insurance Coverage International Approaches to a Socialized Insurance System

· Faces of the Uninsured and State Strategies to Meet Their Needs

· Initiatives to Improve Access to Rural Health Care Services

· Arizona Basic Health Benefit Plan: A Comprehensive Review

· Health Insurance Administrative Costs

· Elasticity of Demand for Health Care Services

· Review of Self-Insuring of Health Benefits

· Initiatives to Improve Access to Rural Health Care Service

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and The University of Arizona, College of Public Health, Rural Health Office and the Southwest Border Rural Health Research Center also provided analysis and information on insurance demographics, health care coverage options and existing programs to help the uninsured.

At its last meeting, the Task Force adopted two recommendations:

Recommendation #1 – Continue the efforts the Statewide Health Care Insurance Task Force through a Statewide Health Care System Task Force with three additional members (two legislators and a member from the University of Arizona Health Science Center). Develop and implement a plan based on the recommendations by the Task Force. Repeals the Task Force on December 31, 2004.

Recommendation #2 – Continue the HealthCare Group Program administered through AHCCCS and make changes to the program recommended by the participating health care providers.

HB 2286 contains all of the provisions made by the Task Force in its first legislative recommendation.

Provisions

· Establishes the Statewide Health Care Task Force consisting of the following members:

Legislative Appointment

- Four members of the House of Representatives

- Four members of the Senate

Governor Appointment

- One member who is a health care provider

- One member who represents a consumer advocacy group

- One member who represents the business community

- One member who represents the University of Arizona, Health Science Center

· Continues the efforts of the Statewide Health Care Insurance Plan Task Force by developing and implementing its recommendations as set forth in its December 2001 report.

· Requires the Task Force to make recommendations to narrow the gap between existing public and private health coverage programs by further examining the feasibility of implementing various insurance reforms, initiatives, coverage programs and improving the current insurance market infrastructure.

· Requires the Task Force to make recommendations for restructuring the state insurance system, seek partnership with the federal government to expand the state insurance system and identify ways to improve the rural health care infrastructure.

· Requires that a proposal for implementing the statewide health care system plan be submitted on or before November 15 of each year.

· Repeals the Task Force from and after December 31, 2004.

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45th Legislature