HB 25: "An Act establishing the Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission in the Department of Health and Social Services, and establishing the position of the executive director of that commission in the partially exempt service; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 25 01 "An Act establishing the Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission in the Department 02 of Health and Social Services, and establishing the position of the executive director of 03 that commission in the partially exempt service; and providing for an effective date." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 06 to read: 07 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. (a) The Alaska Legislature finds that 08 (1) the Constitution of the State of Alaska requires the legislature to promote 09 and protect the public health; 10 (2) health policy issues present some of the greatest challenges faced by the 11 state; 12 (3) the health status of Alaskans is directly tied to the long-term success of the 13 state's economy and well being; and 14 (4) the increasing cost of health care is threatening employer-sponsored health
01 care and making companies less competitive in the global economy. 02 (b) The legislature intends to mandate under this Act an evaluation of the state's 03 health care needs, propose reforms, and improve health care in Alaska by establishing the 04 Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission to include all public and private stakeholders for 05 the purpose of developing a comprehensive policy that better meets the current and long- 06 range health care needs in the state. 07 * Sec. 2. AS 18 is amended by adding a new chapter to read: 08 Chapter 09. Statewide Health Care. 09 Article 1. Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission. 10 Sec. 18.09.010. Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission. The Alaska 11 Health Reform Policy Commission is established in the Department of Health and 12 Social Services. The purpose of the commission is to consider the entire spectrum of 13 health care related issues in the state and formulate targeted and specific policy 14 recommendations to be considered by the legislature and by the executive branch. 15 Sec. 18.09.020. Composition; chair; meetings. (a) The commission consists 16 of 16 members, including 17 (1) 11 members appointed by the governor as follows: 18 (A) the commissioner of health and social services or the 19 commissioner's designee, who shall serve as chair; 20 (B) 10 members who have specialized training or experience 21 and are recognized leaders in the members' fields and who are either a health 22 care consumers or health care providers of services as follows: 23 (i) three members representing private health care 24 interests; 25 (ii) three members representing organizations that 26 provide health care coverage, including an employer that provides an 27 employer-sponsored health insurance plan, a union that has a union 28 health care trust, and a third-party insurance provider; 29 (iii) two members representing health care consumers; 30 (iv) one member representing non-Native federal health 31 care services;
01 (v) one member representing tribal health care services; 02 and 03 (2) five nonvoting advisory members appointed as follows: 04 (A) two members from the senate, appointed by the president 05 of the senate; 06 (B) two members from the house of representatives, appointed 07 by the speaker of the house of representatives; 08 (C) one member appointed by the governor. 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 members of 12 the commission shall be recorded, and effective action requires the affirmative vote of 13 a majority of the voting members of the commission present. A member may not be 14 recused from 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) A member serves at the pleasure of the member's appointing authority for 19 a five-year term. A vacancy may be filled for the remainder of a member's term. At the 20 direction of the appointment authority, a member appointed by the president of the 21 senate or speaker of the house of representatives may remain on the commission even 22 if that member does not remain in the legislature for the full five-year term. 23 Sec. 18.09.030. Duties. The duties of the commission established under 24 AS 18.09.010 include 25 (1) providing a public forum for the consideration and discussion of 26 health policy alternatives; 27 (2) developing, coordinating, and recommending to the legislature and 28 to the governor health policy reform initiatives; 29 (3) coordinating policy development with state, federal, and private 30 sector interests that finance, provide, or regulate the delivery of health care; 31 (4) coordinating health policy development among relevant state
01 agencies; 02 (5) developing policy recommendations to 03 (A) improve individual access to health insurance and health 04 care services; 05 (B) promote healthful life choices made by individuals; 06 (C) contain health care costs; 07 (D) enhance diversity of health care options; 08 (E) improve quality of health care; 09 (F) inform consumers; 10 (G) meet current and future workforce needs in the health care 11 industry; and 12 (6) developing viable financing proposals to support the commission's 13 recommendations. 14 Sec. 18.09.040. Executive director. The commission shall employ an 15 executive director who may not be a member of the commission. The executive 16 director shall serve at the pleasure of the commission. The commission shall establish 17 the duties of the executive director. The executive director is in the partially exempt 18 service under AS 39.25 (State Personnel Act). 19 Sec. 18.09.050. Reports. The commission shall submit an annual report to the 20 legislature and the governor by January 15 of each year. The report must summarize 21 significant work, findings, and recommendations of the commission. The first report 22 of the commission must include a five-year strategic plan with prioritized, targeted, 23 and defined objectives as well as an evaluation of the strengths, weaknesses, and 24 relative performance of health care services and conditions in the state. Subsequent 25 reports must include revisions, if any, to the strategic plan, along with a report on the 26 progress of the commission in meeting the objectives of the plan. 27 Sec. 18.09.095. Definition. In this chapter, "commission" means the Alaska 28 Health Reform Policy Commission. 29 * Sec. 3. AS 39.25.120(c)(7) is amended to read: 30 (7) the principal executive officer of the following boards, councils, or 31 commissions:
01 (A) Alaska Public Broadcasting Commission; 02 (B) Professional Teaching Practices Commission; 03 (C) Parole Board; 04 (D) Board of Nursing; 05 (E) Real Estate Commission; 06 (F) Alaska Royalty Oil and Gas Development Advisory Board; 07 (G) Alaska State Council on the Arts; 08 (H) Alaska Police Standards Council; 09 (I) Alaska Commission on Aging; 10 (J) Alaska Mental Health Board; 11 (K) State Medical Board; 12 (L) Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education; 13 (M) Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; 14 (N) Statewide Suicide Prevention Council; 15 (O) the State Board of Registration for Architect, Engineers, 16 and Land Surveyors; 17 (P) Alaska Health Reform Policy Commission; 18 * Sec. 4. AS 18.09.010, 18.09.020, 18.09.030, 18.09.040, 18.09.050, 18.09.095; and 19 AS 39.25.120(c)(7)(P) are repealed July 1, 2015. 20 * Sec. 5. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).