HF 1631

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/09/2015 02:02pm

A bill for an act
relating to health care; creating a task force to review and evaluate the licensure
structure of health plan companies and other entities; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin HEALTH CARE REGULATORY REVIEW TASK FORCE.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin General. new text end

new text begin (a) A task force is convened to review and assess the state
regulatory and oversight structure for health plan companies and other related entities,
including, but not limited to, indemnity carriers licensed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter
60A; nonprofit health service plan corporations licensed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter
62C; health plan maintenance organizations licensed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter
62D; community integrated service networks licensed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter
62N; health care cooperatives organized under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 62R; and
county-based purchasing plans authorized under Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.692.
new text end

new text begin (b) The task force shall also review and assess the regulatory standards and
requirements for each of these entities under Minnesota Statutes, chapters 62A, 62J,
62K, 62L, 62M, and 62Q.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Membership. new text end

new text begin (a) The task force shall consist of 22 members appointed
as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) two members of the senate, one appointed by the majority leader, and one
appointed by the minority leader;
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new text begin (2) two members of the house of representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the
house, and one appointed by the minority leader;
new text end

new text begin (3) four members representing consumers appointed by the governor;
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new text begin (4) four members representing the health insurance industry, including two
members appointed by the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, one member appointed
by the Insurance Federation of Minnesota, and one member representing county-based
purchasing plans appointed by the governor;
new text end

new text begin (5) four members representing health care providers, including one member
appointed by the Minnesota Hospital Association, one member appointed by the
Minnesota Medical Association, and two members appointed by the governor to represent
providers other than hospitals and physicians;
new text end

new text begin (6) one member representing employers appointed by the Minnesota Chamber
of Commerce;
new text end

new text begin (7) one member representing the labor unions and appointed by the governor; and
new text end

new text begin (8) the commissioners of commerce, health, human services, and management
and budget, or their designees.
new text end

new text begin (b) Appointments must be made by August 1, 2015. The senate member appointed
by the majority leader of the senate shall convene the first meeting of the task force no later
than September 15, 2015. Members of the task force shall elect a chair at the first meeting.
new text end

new text begin (c) Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, shall apply to the task force and to all task
force member appointments, except for the members who are commissioners.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Staff. new text end

new text begin The Legislative Coordinating Commission shall provide staff and
administrative services for the task force. The task force may request technical support
from the commissioners of health, human services, commerce, and management and
budget. The task force may enter into contracts with nonprofit private entities to provide
evaluation and analysis as needed.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Duties. new text end

new text begin (a) The task force shall conduct a review and an assessment
of the current state regulatory and oversight structures for indemnity carriers, health
maintenance organizations, nonprofit health service plan corporations, preferred provider
organizations, county-based purchasers, health care cooperatives, accountable care
organizations, integrated health partnerships, health care delivery systems authorized
under Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0755, and other related entities. The review
and assessment shall be conducted in terms of maximizing administrative efficiency
and regulatory simplification and streamlining the regulatory process while maintaining
quality health outcomes, regulatory stability, and price stability.
new text end

new text begin (b) As part of this review, the task force shall examine the various types of operational
licenses for health plan companies and the differences in the statutory and regulatory
requirements for each license, including, but not limited to, licensure requirements
involving financial solvency, tax liabilities, rate review, data and quality reporting, claims
payment practices, utilization management, provider contracts, network adequacy,
geographic accessibility, actuarial value, consumer protections, and quality assurance.
new text end

new text begin (c) As part of the evaluation of the different operational structures, the task force
shall consider the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) whether there is justification in maintaining different licensure requirements
when health plan companies are becoming more operationally similar and there is an
increasing degree of uniformity required under both state and federal laws;
new text end

new text begin (2) whether the different licensure requirements create the likelihood of different
standards being applied to different health plan companies or other entities that
are operationally similar, but are regulated under different licensure and regulatory
requirements, thereby creating an uneven and arguably unfair competitive marketplace; and
new text end

new text begin (3) whether the current regulatory structure allows for the state to have sufficient
oversight of new operational health care delivery models and payment systems that have
been created or may be created in the future including, but not limited to, accountable
care organizations, integrated health partnerships, or other health care delivery systems
and, if not, whether the legislature should create a review process in order to ensure
regulatory oversight.
new text end

new text begin (d) The task force shall also review the statutory provisions in Minnesota Statutes,
chapters 62A, 62C, 62D, 62L, 62M, and 62Q for redundant and unnecessary provisions
and make recommendations on whether a recodification of these chapters would create a
more uniform regulatory scheme in terms of market stability, efficiency, and simplification.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin The task force shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking
minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over commerce
and health and human services of the results of the review and assessment and any
recommendations, including draft legislation by February 15, 2016.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... is appropriated for fiscal year 2016 from the general fund to the Legislative
Coordinating Commission for administrative services to the Health Care Regulatory
Review Task Force for any necessary technical support from state agencies, or for
contracts to provide evaluation or analysis services as deemed necessary by the task force.
new text end