HB 407: "An Act establishing the Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission in the Department of Health and Social Services; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 407 01 "An Act establishing the Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission in the Department 02 of Health and Social Services; and providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 05 to read: 06 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. (a) The Alaska Legislature finds that 07 (1) the Constitution of the State of Alaska requires the legislature to promote 08 and protect the public health; 09 (2) health policy issues present some of the greatest challenges faced by the 10 state; 11 (3) the health status of Alaskans is directly tied to the long-term success of the 12 state's economy and well being; and 13 (4) the increasing cost of health care is threatening employer-sponsored health 14 care and making companies less competitive in the global economy.
01 (b) The legislature intends to mandate under this Act an evaluation of the state's 02 health care needs, propose reforms, and improve health care in Alaska by establishing the 03 Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission to include all public and private stakeholders for 04 the purpose of developing a comprehensive policy that better meets the current and long- 05 range healthcare needs in the state. 06 * Sec. 2. AS 18 is amended by adding a new chapter to read: 07 Chapter 09. Statewide Health Care. 08 Article 1. Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission. 09 Sec. 18.09.010. Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission. The Alaska 10 Health Reform Policy Commission is established in the Department of Health and 11 Social Services. The purpose of the commission is to consider the entire spectrum of 12 health care related issues in the state and formulate targeted and specific policy 13 recommendations to be considered by the legislature and by the executive branch. 14 Sec. 18.09.020. Composition; chair; meetings. (a) The commission consists 15 of 16 members, including 16 (1) 11 members appointed by the governor as follows: 17 (A) the commissioner of health and social services or the 18 commissioner's designee, who shall serve as chair; 19 (B) 10 members who have specialized training or experience 20 and are recognized leaders in the members' field and who are either a health 21 care consumer or health care provider of services as follows: 22 (i) three members representing private health care 23 interests; 24 (ii) three members representing organizations that 25 provide health care coverage, including an employer that provides an 26 employer-sponsored health insurance plan, a union that has a union 27 health care trust, and a third-party insurance provider; 28 (iii) two members representing health care consumers; 29 (iv) one member representing non-Native federal health 30 care services; 31 (v) one member representing tribal health care services;
01 and 02 (2) five ex-officio nonvoting advisory members appointed as follows: 03 (A) two members from the senate, appointed by the president 04 of the senate; 05 (B) two members from the house of representatives, appointed 06 by the speaker of the house of representatives; 07 (C) one member appointed by the governor who is not subject 08 to legislative confirmation. 09 (b) The commission shall meet regularly in person or by teleconference. All 10 meetings shall be open to the public and shall be held on reasonable notice. A quorum 11 is a majority of the voting members of the commission. The votes of the commission 12 members shall be recorded, and effective action requires the affirmative vote of a 13 majority of the voting commission members present. No member may be recused from 14 voting solely based on a conflict of interest. 15 (c) A public member appointed to the commission is not entitled to a salary, 16 but is entitled to per diem, reimbursement for travel, and other expenses authorized for 17 boards and commissions under AS 39.20.180. 18 (d) Members serve at the pleasure of the member's appointing authority for a 19 five-year term; vacancies may be filled for the remainder of a member's term. 20 Sec. 18.09.030. Duties. The duties of the commission established under 21 AS 18.09.010 include 22 (1) providing a public forum for the consideration and discussion of 23 health policy alternatives; 24 (2) developing, coordinating, and recommending to the legislature and 25 to the governor health policy reform initiatives; 26 (3) coordinating policy development with state, federal, and private 27 sector interests that finance, provide, or regulate the delivery of health care; 28 (4) coordinating health policy development among relevant state 29 agencies; 30 (5) developing policy recommendations to 31 (A) improve individual access to health insurance and health
01 care services; 02 (B) promote healthful life choices made by individuals; 03 (C) contain health care costs; 04 (D) enhance diversity of health care options; 05 (E) improve quality of health care; 06 (F) inform consumers; 07 (G) meet current and future workforce needs in the health care 08 industry; and 09 (6) developing viable financing proposals to support the commission's 10 recommendations. 11 Sec. 18.09.040. Executive director. The commission shall employ an 12 executive director who may not be a member of the commission. The executive 13 director shall serve at the pleasure of the commission. The commission shall establish 14 the duties of the executive director. The executive director is in the partially exempt 15 service under AS 39.25 (State Personnel Act). 16 Sec. 18.09.050. Reports. The commission shall submit an annual report to the 17 legislature and the governor by January 15 of each year. The report shall summarize 18 significant work, findings, and recommendations of the commission. The first report 19 of the commission must include a five-year strategic plan with prioritized, targeted, 20 and defined objectives as well as an evaluation of the strengths, weaknesses, and 21 relative performance of health care services and conditions in Alaska. Subsequent 22 reports must include revisions, if any, to the strategic plan, along with a report on the 23 progress of the commission in meeting the objectives of the plan. 24 * Sec. 3. AS 39.25.120(c)(7) is amended to read: 25 (7) the principal executive officer of the following boards, councils, or 26 commissions: 27 (A) Alaska Public Broadcasting Commission; 28 (B) Professional Teaching Practices Commission; 29 (C) Parole Board; 30 (D) Board of Nursing; 31 (E) Real Estate Commission;
01 (F) Alaska Royalty Oil and Gas Development Advisory Board; 02 (G) Alaska State Council on the Arts; 03 (H) Alaska Police Standards Council; 04 (I) Alaska Commission on Aging; 05 (J) Alaska Mental Health Board; 06 (K) State Medical Board; 07 (L) Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education; 08 (M) Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; 09 (N) Statewide Suicide Prevention Council; 10 (O) the State Board of Registration for Architect, Engineers, 11 and Land Surveyors; 12 (P) the Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission; 13 * Sec. 4. AS 18.09.010, 18.09.020, 18.09.030, 18.09.040, 18.09.050, 18.09.095; and 14 AS 39.25.120(c)(7)(P) are repealed July 1, 2014. 15 * Sec. 5. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).