Senate File 573 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
(SUCCESSOR TO SF 367)
(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 providing an effective date.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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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 twelve 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) Five consumers appointed by the governor.
1 29 c. The commission shall include the following ex officio
1 30 members:
1 31 (1) Commissioner of insurance.
1 32 (2) Director of human services.
1 33 2. The chairpersons of the commission shall be those
1 34 members of the general assembly so appointed by the majority
1 35 leader of the senate and the speaker of the house of
2 1 representatives. Legislative members of the commission are
2 2 eligible for per diem and reimbursement of actual expenses as
2 3 provided in section 2.10. Consumers appointed to the
2 4 commission by the governor pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph
2 5 "b", subparagraph (6), are entitled to receive a per diem as
2 6 specified in section 7E.6 for each day spent in performance of
2 7 duties as members, and shall be reimbursed for all actual and
2 8 necessary expenses incurred in the performance of duties as
2 9 members of the commission.
2 10 3. The commission shall review, analyze, and make
2 11 recommendations on issues relating to the affordability of
2 12 health care for Iowans including but not limited to:
2 13 a. The benefits and costs of requiring all residents of
2 14 Iowa to have health insurance coverage, including but not
2 15 limited to individual mandates and proposals from other
2 16 states.
2 17 b. The benefits and costs of providing health insurance
2 18 coverage to all children in the state, with a particular
2 19 emphasis on children's health issues.
2 20 c. Uninsured and underinsured Iowans with a special focus
2 21 on determining the characteristics of the uninsured and
2 22 underinsured populations, why such persons are uninsured or
2 23 underinsured, and the most effective and efficient means to
2 24 provide insurance coverage to such persons, including through
2 25 government programs.
2 26 d. Major factors and trends that are likely to impact the
2 27 cost of premiums and affordability of health care during the
2 28 next ten years, including but not limited to effects of
2 29 mandates, levels of coverage, costs and pricing of treatments,
2 30 cost=sharing and cost=cutting measures, cost=shifting
2 31 measures, collaborative opportunities, subsidies, reinsurance
2 32 plans, risk pooling, and wellness and disease prevention
2 33 initiatives.
2 34 4. The commission shall utilize the expertise of the
2 35 health care data research advisory council in carrying out the
3 1 commission's duties.
3 2 5. The commission may hold public hearings to allow
3 3 persons and organizations to be heard and to gather
3 4 information.
3 5 6. The commission may request from any state agency or
3 6 official information and assistance as needed to perform the
3 7 review and analysis required in subsection 3. A state agency
3 8 or official shall furnish the information or assistance
3 9 requested within the authority and resources of the state
3 10 agency or official. This subsection does not allow the
3 11 examination or copying of any public record required by law to
3 12 be kept confidential.
3 13 7. The commission may employ staff and consultants as
3 14 necessary to assist the commission in carrying out its duties
3 15 as set forth in this section.
3 16 8. The commission shall submit a final report to the
3 17 general assembly no later than December 1, 2007, summarizing
3 18 the commission's activities, analyzing issues studied, making
3 19 recommendations for legislative reforms that will make health
3 20 insurance coverage more affordable for small businesses and
3 21 families in this state, and including any other information
3 22 that the commission deems relevant and necessary.
3 23 Sec. 2. HEALTH CARE DATA RESEARCH ADVISORY COUNCIL.
3 24 1. A health care data research advisory council is created
3 25 for the purpose of assisting the commission on affordable
3 26 health care plans for small businesses and families in
3 27 carrying out the commission's duties by conducting research,
3 28 providing research data and analysis, and performing other
3 29 functions within the expertise of the members of the council
3 30 at the direction of the commission.
3 31 2. The council shall include the following members:
3 32 a. A representative of the university of Iowa college of
3 33 medicine.
3 34 b. A representative of the university of Iowa college of
3 35 dentistry.
4 1 c. A representative of the university of Iowa college of
4 2 pharmacy.
4 3 d. A representative of the university of Iowa college of
4 4 nursing.
4 5 e. A representative of the university of Iowa college of
4 6 public health.
4 7 f. A representative of Des Moines university ==
4 8 osteopathic medical center.
4 9 g. A representative of the Drake university college of
4 10 pharmacy.
4 11 h. A representative of the Mercy college of health
4 12 sciences.
4 13 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of
4 14 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
4 15 EXPLANATION
4 16 This bill creates an interim commission on affordable
4 17 health care plans for small businesses and families to review
4 18 and analyze possible health insurance reforms to make health
4 19 care coverage more affordable for small businesses and
4 20 families in this state.
4 21 The commission consists of 24 members including 10 members
4 22 of the general assembly with three appointed by the majority
4 23 leader of the senate, two appointed by the minority leader of
4 24 the senate, three appointed by the speaker of the house of
4 25 representatives, and two appointed by the minority leader of
4 26 the house of representatives. The commission also includes
4 27 two members who are small business owners, one hospital
4 28 administrator, a physician, a nurse, an individual insurance
4 29 agent, and a representative of an insurance carrier, who are
4 30 designated by specified organizations, five consumers
4 31 appointed by the governor, and two ex officio state agency
4 32 director members.
4 33 Legislative members of the commission are eligible for per
4 34 diem and reimbursement of actual expenses as provided in Code
4 35 section 2.10. Consumer members are also eligible for per diem
5 1 and expenses.
5 2 The commission is required to review, analyze, and make
5 3 recommendations on issues relating to the affordability of
5 4 health care for Iowans including but not limited to issues
5 5 specified in the bill.
5 6 The commission is authorized to hold public hearings and
5 7 request information from state agencies and officers and to
5 8 employ staff and consultants as necessary to assist it in
5 9 performing its charge.
5 10 The commission is required to submit a final report to the
5 11 general assembly no later than December 1, 2007, summarizing
5 12 the commission's activities, analyzing the issues studied,
5 13 making recommendations for legislative reforms that will make
5 14 health insurance more affordable for small businesses and
5 15 families, and including any other information that the
5 16 commission deems relevant and necessary.
5 17 The bill creates a health care data research advisory
5 18 council for the purpose of assisting the commission in
5 19 carrying out the commission's duties by conducting research,
5 20 providing research data and analysis, and performing other
5 21 functions within the expertise of members of the council at
5 22 the direction of the commission.
5 23 The bill specifies that the health care data research
5 24 advisory council shall include the following members: a
5 25 representative of the university of Iowa college of medicine,
5 26 a representative of the university of Iowa college of
5 27 dentistry, a representative of the university of Iowa college
5 28 of pharmacy, a representative of the university of Iowa
5 29 college of nursing, a representative of the university of Iowa
5 30 college of public health, a representative of Des Moines
5 31 university == osteopathic medical center, a representative of
5 32 Drake university college of pharmacy, and a representative of
5 33 Mercy college of health sciences.
5 34 The bill takes effect upon enactment.
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