1998 Minnesota Statutes

     62J.09 Regional coordinating boards. 

    Subdivision 1.    General duties.  (a) The commissioner 
 shall divide the state into six regions, one of these regions 
 being the seven-county metropolitan area.  

    (b) Each region shall establish a locally controlled 
 regional coordinating board consisting of providers, health plan 
 companies, employers, consumers, and elected officials.  
 Regional coordinating boards may: 

    (1) undertake voluntary activities to educate consumers, 
 providers, and purchasers about community plans and projects 
 promoting health care cost containment, consumer accountability, 
 access, and quality and efforts to achieve public health goals; 

    (2) make recommendations to the commissioner regarding ways 
 of improving affordability, accessibility, and quality of health 
 care in the region and throughout the state; 

    (3) provide technical assistance to parties interested in 
 establishing or operating a community integrated service network 
 within the region.  This assistance must complement assistance 
 provided by the commissioner under section 62N.23; 

    (4) advise the commissioner on public health goals, taking 
 into consideration the relevant portions of the community health 
 service plans, plans required by the Minnesota Comprehensive 
 Adult Mental Health Act, the Minnesota Comprehensive Children's 
 Mental Health Act, and the Community Social Service Act plans 
 developed by county boards or community health boards in the 
 region under chapters 145A, 245, and 256E; 

    (5) prepare an annual regional education plan that is 
 consistent with and supportive of public health goals identified 
 by community health boards in the region; and 

    (6) serve as advisory bodies to identify potential 
 applicants for federal Health Professional Shortage Area and 
 federal Medically Underserved Area designation as requested by 
 the commissioner. 

    Subd. 1a. Repealed, 1995 c 234 art 8 s 57 

    Subd. 2.    Membership.  (a)    Number of members.  
 Each regional coordinating board consists of 17 members as 
 provided in this subdivision.  A member may designate a 
 representative to act as a member of the board in the member's 
 absence.  The governor shall appoint the chair of each regional 
 board from among its members.  The appointing authorities under 
 each paragraph for which there is to be chosen more than one 
 member shall consult prior to appointments being made to ensure 
 that, to the extent possible, the board includes a 
 representative from each county within the region.  

    (b)    Provider representatives.  Each regional board 
 must include four members representing health care providers who 
 practice in the region.  One member is appointed by the 
 Minnesota Medical Association.  One member is appointed by the 
 Minnesota Hospital Association.  One member is appointed by the 
 Minnesota Nurses' Association.  The remaining member is 
 appointed by the governor to represent providers other than 
 physicians, hospitals, and nurses. 

    (c)    Health plan company representatives.  Each 
 regional board includes four members representing health plan 
 companies who provide coverage for residents of the region, 
 including one member representing health insurers who is elected 
 by a vote of all health insurers providing coverage in the 
 region, one member elected by a vote of all health maintenance 
 organizations providing coverage in the region, and one member 
 appointed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.  The 
 fourth member is appointed by the governor. 

    (d)    Employer representatives.  Regional boards 
 include three members representing employers in the region.  
 Employer representatives are appointed by the Minnesota chamber 
 of commerce from nominations provided by members of chambers of 
 commerce in the region.  At least one member must represent 
 self-insured employers.  

    (e)    Employee unions.  Regional boards include one 
 member appointed by the AFL-CIO Minnesota who is a union member 
 residing or working in the region or who is a representative of 
 a union that is active in the region. 

    (f)    Public members.  Regional boards include three 
 consumer members.  One consumer member is elected by the 
 community health boards in the region, with each community 
 health board having one vote.  One consumer member is elected by 
 the legislative commission on health care access.  One consumer 
 member is appointed by the governor. 

    (g)    County commissioner.  Regional boards include one 
 member who is a county board member.  The county board member is 
 elected by a vote of all of the county board members in the 
 region, with each county board having one vote.  

    (h)    State agency.  Regional boards include one state 
 agency commissioner appointed by the governor to represent state 
 health coverage programs. 

    Subd. 3. Repealed, 1993 c 247 art 1 s 21 

    Subd. 3a. Repealed, 1997 c 225 art 2 s 63 

    Subd. 4.    Financial interests of members.  A member 
 representing employers, consumers, or employee unions must not 
 have any personal financial interest in the health care system 
 except as an individual consumer of health care services.  An 
 employee who participates in the management of a health benefit 
 plan may serve as a member representing employers or unions. 

    Subd. 5.    Conflicts of interest.  No member may vote 
 in regional coordinating board proceedings involving an 
 individual provider, purchaser, or patient, or a specific 
 activity or transaction, if the member has a direct financial 
 interest in the outcome of the regional coordinating board's 
 proceedings other than as an individual consumer of health care 
 services.  A member with a direct financial interest may 
 participate in the proceedings, without voting, provided that 
 the member discloses any direct financial interest to the 
 regional coordinating board at the beginning of the proceedings. 

    Subd. 6.    Technical assistance.  The commissioner 
 shall provide technical assistance to regional coordinating 
 boards.  Technical assistance includes providing each regional 
 board with timely information concerning action plans, 
 enrollment data, and health care expenditures affecting the 
 regional board's region.  

    Subd. 6a.    Contracting.  The commissioner, at the 
 request of a regional coordinating board, may contract on behalf 
 of the board with an appropriate regional organization to 
 provide staff support to the board, in order to assist the board 
 in carrying out the duties assigned in this section. 

    Subd. 7.    Terms; compensation; removal; and vacancies. 
  Regional coordinating boards are governed by section 15.0575, 
 except that members do not receive per diem payments. 

    Subd. 8.    Repealer.  This section is repealed 
 effective July 1, 2000. 

    HIST: 1992 c 549 art 1 s 6; 1992 c 603 s 28; 1993 c 247 art 1 
 s 8-10; 1993 c 345 art 3 s 6; art 6 s 5-8; 1994 c 625 art 3 s 
 22; art 8 s 21,22; art 8 s 3-7; 1997 c 225 art 2 s 13,62