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
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