April 26, 2006, Introduced by Reps. Murphy, Gonzales, Zelenko, Condino, Polidori, Hopgood, Sheltrown, Ball, Kahn, Vagnozzi, Clack, Farrah, Plakas, Leland, Kathleen Law, Alma Smith, Gaffney, Cushingberry, Bieda, Lemmons, III, Espinoza and Gleason and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.
A bill to create an adequate health care task force; and to
provide for a report.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. (1) There is created an adequate health care task
force. The task force shall consist of 29 voting members appointed
as follows:
(a) Five members appointed by the governor.
(b) Six members appointed by the senate majority leader.
(c) Six members appointed by the senate minority leader.
(d) Six members appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives.
(e) Six members appointed by the minority leader of the house
of representatives.
(2) The task force shall have a chairperson and vice-
chairperson who shall be elected by the voting members at the first
meeting of the task force.
(3) The director of the department of community health or his
or her designee, the director of the office of services to the
aging or his or her designee, the director of the department of
human services or his or her designee, and the commissioner of the
office of financial and insurance services or his or her designee
shall represent their respective departments and offices and shall
be invited to attend task force meetings, but shall not be members
of the task force. The members of the task force shall be appointed
by August 1, 2006. The departments and offices of state government
represented on the task force shall work cooperatively to provide
administrative support for the task force, with the department of
community health acting as the primary agency in providing that
administrative support.
Sec. 3. (1) The task force shall seek public input on the
development of a health care access plan by holding a public
hearing in each Michigan congressional district starting no later
than January 1, 2007 and ending on November 30, 2007. Each state
representative and state senator located in each congressional
district shall be invited to participate in the hearing in that
district and help to gather input from interested parties. A
website for the task force shall be developed and linked to the
governor's homepage for input to be provided and to keep the public
informed. The task force's website shall be specifically
highlighted and have independent pages reporting all activities and
linkages for people to access. Minutes from all of the task force's
meetings shall be available on the website, and a hard copy of this
information shall also be made available for those persons without
access to the task force's website. The task force may also consult
with health care providers, health care consumers, and other
appropriate individuals and organizations to assist in the
development of a health care access plan.
(2) Not later than September 1, 2006, the department of
community health, subject to appropriation or the availability of
other funds for such purposes and using a public request for
proposals process, shall contract with an independent research
entity experienced in assessing health care reforms, health care
financing, and health care delivery models. Upon the request of at
least 1/4 of the task force members, the research entity shall be
available to the task force for the purpose of assessing financial
costs and the different health care models being discussed. All
inquiries made by task force members to the independent research
entity shall be made available on the task force's website.
Sec. 5. No later than March 15, 2008, the task force shall
submit its final report on a health care access plan to the
legislature and the governor. The final report may recommend a
combination of more than 1 type of plan and alternative methods of
funding the plan. The final report by the task force shall make
recommendations for a health care access plan or plans that would
provide access to a full range of preventive, acute, and long-term
health care services to residents of this state by July 1, 2009,
including all of the following:
(a) An integrated system or systems of health care delivery.
(b) Incentives to be used to contain costs.
(c) Core benefits that would be provided under each type of
plan.
(d) Reimbursement mechanisms for health care providers.
(e) Administrative efficiencies.
(f) Mechanisms for generating spending priorities based on
multidisciplinary standards of care established by verifiable
replicated research studies demonstrating quality and cost-
effectiveness of interventions, providers, and facilities.
(g) Methods for reducing the cost of prescription drugs both
as part of, and as separate from, the health care access plan.
(h) Appropriate reallocation of existing health care
resources.
(i) Equitable financing of each proposal.
(j) Recommendations concerning the delivery of long-term care
services, including:
(i) Those currently covered under title XIX of the social
security act, 42 USC 1396 to 1396v.
(ii) Recommendations on potential cost-sharing arrangements for
long-term care services and the phasing in of such arrangements
over time.
(iii) Consideration of the potential for utilizing informal
caregiving by friends and family members.
(iv) Recommendations on cost-containment strategies for long-
term care services.
(v) The possibility of using independent financing for the
provision of long-term care services.
(vi) The projected cost to this state over the next 20 years if
no changes were made in the present system of delivering and paying
for long-term care services.
Sec. 7. No later than December 31, 2008, the legislature is
strongly encouraged to vote on legislation that either enacts the
task force's recommendation or provides for another health care
access plan that meets all of the following:
(a) Provides access to a full range of preventive, acute, and
long-term health care services.
(b) Maintains and improves the quality of health care services
offered to Michigan residents.
(c) Provides portability of coverage, regardless of employment
status.
(d) Provides core benefits for all Michigan residents.
(e) Encourages regional and local consumer participation.
(f) Contains cost-containment measures.
(g) Provides a mechanism for reviewing and implementing
multiple approaches to preventive medicine based on new
technologies.
(h) Promotes affordable coverage options for the small
business market.
Sec. 9. This act takes effect July 1, 2006.