Senate File 367 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1207) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act creating an interim commission on affordable health care 2 plans for small businesses and families and a health care data 3 research advisory council, and making an appropriation. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 2475SV 82 6 av/gg/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. INTERIM COMMISSION ON AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE 1 2 PLANS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES. 1 3 1. An interim commission on affordable health care plans 1 4 for small businesses and families is created consisting of 19 1 5 members. The legislative services agency shall provide 1 6 staffing assistance to the commission. 1 7 a. The commission shall include 10 members of the general 1 8 assembly, three appointed by the majority leader of the 1 9 senate, two appointed by the minority leader of the senate, 1 10 three appointed by the speaker of the house of 1 11 representatives, and two appointed by the minority leader of 1 12 the house of representatives. 1 13 b. The commission shall also include nine members of the 1 14 public as follows: 1 15 (1) Two members who are small business owners, one 1 16 designated by the Iowa association of business and industry, 1 17 and one designated by the national federation of independent 1 18 business. 1 19 (2) One hospital administrator designated by the Iowa 1 20 hospital association. 1 21 (3) Two health care providers, one a physician designated 1 22 by the Iowa medical society, and one a nurse designated by the 1 23 Iowa nurses association. 1 24 (4) One individual insurance agent designated by the 1 25 independent insurance agents of Iowa. 1 26 (5) One representative of an insurance carrier designated 1 27 by the federation of Iowa insurers. 1 28 (6) Two consumers appointed by the governor. 1 29 2. The chairpersons of the commission shall be those 1 30 members of the general assembly so appointed by the majority 1 31 leader of the senate and the speaker of the house of 1 32 representatives. Legislative members of the commission are 1 33 eligible for per diem and reimbursement of actual expenses as 1 34 provided in section 2.10. 1 35 3. The commission shall review, analyze, and make 2 1 recommendations on issues relating to the affordability of 2 2 health care for Iowans including but not limited to: 2 3 a. The benefits and costs of requiring all residents of 2 4 Iowa to have health insurance coverage, including but not 2 5 limited to individual mandates and proposals from other 2 6 states. 2 7 b. Uninsured and underinsured Iowans with a special focus 2 8 on determining the characteristics of the uninsured and 2 9 underinsured populations, why such persons are uninsured or 2 10 underinsured, and the most effective and efficient means to 2 11 provide insurance coverage to such persons, including through 2 12 government programs. 2 13 c. Major factors and trends that are likely to impact the 2 14 cost of premiums and affordability of health care during the 2 15 next ten years, including but not limited to effects of 2 16 mandates, levels of coverage, costs and pricing of treatments, 2 17 cost=sharing and cost=cutting measures, cost=shifting 2 18 measures, collaborative opportunities, subsidies, reinsurance 2 19 plans, risk pooling, and wellness and disease prevention 2 20 initiatives. 2 21 4. The commission shall utilize the expertise of the 2 22 health care data research advisory council in carrying out the 2 23 commission's duties. 2 24 5. The commission may hold public hearings to allow 2 25 persons and organizations to be heard and to gather 2 26 information. 2 27 6. The commission may request from any state agency or 2 28 official information and assistance as needed to perform the 2 29 review and analysis required in subsection 3. A state agency 2 30 or official shall furnish the information or assistance 2 31 requested within the authority and resources of the state 2 32 agency or official. This subsection does not allow the 2 33 examination or copying of any public record required by law to 2 34 be kept confidential. 2 35 7. The commission may employ staff and consultants as 3 1 necessary to assist the commission in carrying out its duties 3 2 as set forth in this section. 3 3 8. The commission shall submit a final report to the 3 4 general assembly no later than December 1, 2007, summarizing 3 5 the commission's activities, analyzing issues studied, making 3 6 recommendations for legislative reforms that will make health 3 7 insurance coverage more affordable for small businesses and 3 8 families in this state, and including any other information 3 9 that the commission deems relevant and necessary. 3 10 Sec. 2. HEALTH CARE DATA RESEARCH ADVISORY COUNCIL. 3 11 1. A health care data research advisory council is created 3 12 for the purpose of assisting the commission on affordable 3 13 health care plans for small businesses and families in 3 14 carrying out the commission's duties by conducting research, 3 15 providing research data and analysis, and performing other 3 16 functions within the expertise of the members of the council 3 17 at the direction of the commission. 3 18 2. The commission shall include the following members: 3 19 a. A representative of the university of Iowa college of 3 20 medicine. 3 21 b. A representative of the university of Iowa college of 3 22 dentistry. 3 23 c. A representative of the university of Iowa college of 3 24 pharmacy. 3 25 d. A representative of the university of Iowa college of 3 26 nursing. 3 27 e. A representative of the university of Iowa college of 3 28 public health. 3 29 f. A representative of Des Moines university == 3 30 osteopathic medical center. 3 31 g. A representative of the Drake university college of 3 32 pharmacy. 3 33 h. A representative of the Mercy college of health 3 34 sciences. 3 35 Sec. 3. INTERIM COMMISSION ON AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE PLANS 4 1 FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES APPROPRIATION. There is 4 2 appropriated from the health care trust fund created in 4 3 section 453A.35A or similar fund, if enacted by the 4 4 Eighty=second General Assembly, 2007 Session, to the interim 4 5 commission on affordable health care plans for small 4 6 businesses and families for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 4 7 2007, and ending June 30, 2008, the following amount, or so 4 8 much thereof as is necessary, for the purpose designated: 4 9 For carrying out the duties of the commission and the 4 10 health care data research advisory council as set forth in 4 11 this division: 4 12 .................................................. $ 500,000 4 13 EXPLANATION 4 14 This bill creates an interim commission on affordable 4 15 health care plans for small businesses and families to review 4 16 and analyze possible health insurance reforms to make health 4 17 care coverage more affordable for small businesses and 4 18 families in this state. 4 19 The commission consists of 19 members including 10 members 4 20 of the general assembly with three appointed by the majority 4 21 leader of the senate, two appointed by the minority leader of 4 22 the senate, three appointed by the speaker of the house of 4 23 representatives, and two appointed by the minority leader of 4 24 the house of representatives. The commission also includes 4 25 two members who are small business owners, one hospital 4 26 administrator, a physician, a nurse, an individual insurance 4 27 agent, and a representative of an insurance carrier, who are 4 28 designated by specified organizations, and two consumers 4 29 appointed by the governor. 4 30 Legislative members of the commission are eligible for per 4 31 diem and reimbursement of actual expenses as provided in Code 4 32 section 2.10. 4 33 The commission is required to review, analyze, and make 4 34 recommendations on issues relating to the affordability of 4 35 health care for Iowans including but not limited to issues 5 1 specified in the bill. 5 2 The commission is authorized to hold public hearings and 5 3 request information from state agencies and officers and to 5 4 employ staff and consultants as necessary to assist it in 5 5 performing its charge. 5 6 The commission is required to submit a final report to the 5 7 general assembly no later than December 1, 2007, summarizing 5 8 the commission's activities, analyzing the issues studied, 5 9 making recommendations for legislative reforms that will make 5 10 health insurance more affordable for small businesses and 5 11 families, and including any other information that the 5 12 commission deems relevant and necessary. 5 13 The bill creates a health care data research advisory 5 14 council for the purpose of assisting the commission in 5 15 carrying out the commission's duties by conducting research, 5 16 providing research data and analysis, and performing other 5 17 functions within the expertise of members of the council at 5 18 the direction of the commission. 5 19 The bill specifies that the health care data research 5 20 advisory council shall include the following members: a 5 21 representative of the university of Iowa college of medicine, 5 22 a representative of the university of Iowa college of 5 23 dentistry, a representative of the university of Iowa college 5 24 of pharmacy, a representative of the university of Iowa 5 25 college of nursing, a representative of the university of Iowa 5 26 college of public health, a representative of Des Moines 5 27 university == osteopathic medical center, a representative of 5 28 Drake university college of pharmacy, and a representative of 5 29 Mercy college of health sciences. 5 30 The bill appropriates $500,000 to the commission for the 5 31 2007=2008 fiscal year to carry out its duties and the duties 5 32 of the health care data research advisory council as set forth 5 33 in the bill. 5 34 LSB 2475SV 82 5 35 av:rj/gg/14