HF 1586

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to health care; creating a study group to make recommendations on the
creation and operation of a voluntary, statewide health care purchasing pool.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin HEALTH CARE PURCHASING POOL STUDY GROUP.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Creation; membership. new text end

new text begin A health care purchasing pool study group
is created to study and make recommendations regarding the creation of a voluntary,
statewide health care purchasing pool that would contract directly with providers to
provide affordable health coverage to eligible Minnesota residents. The study group is
composed of:
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new text begin (1) the chief house and senate authors of this act;
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new text begin (2) the chairs of the senate Committee on Health, Housing, and Family Security and
the Health and Human Services Budget Division;
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new text begin (3) the chairs of the house Health Care and Human Services Committee and the
Health Care and Human Services Division;
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new text begin (4) the attorney general or the attorney general's designated representative;
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new text begin (5) three representatives of health care providers appointed as follows:
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new text begin (i) one member appointed by the governor;
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new text begin (ii) one member appointed by the speaker of the house; and
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new text begin (iii) one member appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the senate
Committee on Rules and Administration; and
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new text begin (6) two consumers of health care appointed by the governor.
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new text begin All appointments to be made under this subdivision must be made within 30 days
of the effective date of this act.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Study; report. new text end

new text begin The study group shall study and make recommendations
on the following issues related to the creation, maintenance, and funding of a voluntary,
statewide health care purchasing pool to provide comprehensive, cost-effective, and
medically appropriate health coverage to all public and private employees in Minnesota
and all Minnesota residents:
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new text begin (1) the creation of an independent public entity to administer the pool;
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new text begin (2) possible utilization of the new health care purchasing unit in the Department of
Health, formerly in the old Department of Employee Relations;
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new text begin (3) eligibility and participation requirements for existing public and private health
care purchasing pools, public and private employers, and residents of this state;
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new text begin (4) how to contract directly with providers to provide comprehensive coverage for
preventive, mental health, dental and other medical services, and comprehensive drug
benefits to enrollees and maximize the cost savings and other efficiencies that a large
purchasing pool would be expected to generate without the need for a public subsidy;
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new text begin (5) provisions that allow the pool to contract directly with health care providers
to provide coverage to enrollees;
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new text begin (6) incentives designed to attract and retain the maximum number of enrollees;
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new text begin (7) recommendations for the administration of the pool and the services that will
be available to enrollees including, but not limited to, recommendations to keep the pool
solvent and profitable so that public subsidies are not necessary; and
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new text begin (8) other elements the task force concludes are necessary or desirable for the pool
to possess.
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new text begin The study group shall submit its report and the draft legislation necessary to
implement its recommendations to the legislature and the governor by February 1, 2008.
The study group expires upon submission of its report to the legislature and the governor.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Staffing. new text end

new text begin State agencies shall supply the study group with any advisory
staff services the study group considers necessary to complete the study and report under
subdivision 2.
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Sec. 2. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
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new text begin This act is effective the day following final enactment.
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