45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE INTERAGENCY BENEFITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO CONSOLIDATE ITS ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS AND DATA WAREHOUSES.

WHEREAS, the risk management division of the general services department, the retiree health care authority, the public school insurance authority and the Albuquerque public schools comprise the interagency benefits advisory committee participating in the consolidated purchasing single process pursuant to the Health Care Purchasing Act; and

WHEREAS, the interagency benefits advisory committee was mandated to study and provide a status report on the consolidation of administrative functions; and

WHEREAS, the interagency benefits advisory committee was required to consolidate, standardize and administer the administrative functions that those entities can effectively and efficiently administer by December 1, 2003; and

WHEREAS, the interagency benefits advisory committee may enter into joint powers agreements pursuant to the Joint Powers Agreements Act with other publicly funded health care agencies and political subdivisions to determine assessments or provisions of resources to consolidate, standardize and administer the consolidated purchasing single process and subsequent activities pursuant to the Health Care Purchasing Act and may enter into contracts with nonpublic persons to provide the service of determining assessments or provision of resources for consolidation, standardization and administrative activities; and

WHEREAS, each agency within the interagency benefits advisory committee will retain its responsibility to determine policy direction of the benefit plans, plan development, training and coordination with respect to participants and its benefits staff, as well as to respond to benefits eligibility inquiries and establish and enforce eligibility rules; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico taxpayers fund health care payers and providers, pursuant to the Health Care Purchasing Act, that produce volumes of data, yet useful health care information for fiscal and policy planning remains limited or unavailable; and

WHEREAS, the need for consolidated administration and standardized data has been well documented, as presented by numerous persons to various interim committees; and

WHEREAS, the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 mandates the standardization of electronic health care information and communication;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the interagency benefits advisory committee be requested to proceed with the consolidation of administrative functions and the standardization of data management and exchange for the risk management division of the general services department, the retiree health care authority, the public school insurance authority and the Albuquerque public schools; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the interagency benefits advisory committee, through their respective agencies, contract with an external, independent benefits consultant or consolidation expert to develop an implementation plan that shall be presented to the legislative council or the legislative finance committee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the interagency benefits advisory committee contract for:

A. one base benefit plan that provides each agency with cafeteria plan-type options;

B. a common pharmacy plan with a formulary; and

C. a state-run plan that includes a consolidated, internally operated administration; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the interagency benefits advisory committee be requested to present a status report on consolidation and standardization to an appropriate interim committee by September 1, 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the interagency benefits advisory committee ensure implementation of the consolidation and standardization plan by July 1, 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the human services department and the New Mexico health policy commission, in conjunction with the interagency benefits advisory committee, prepare a comparison of the benefits available under the entire state medicaid program and health care plans purchased pursuant to the Health Care Purchasing Act and present their findings to the New Mexico legislative council or the legislative finance committee by September 1, 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the risk management division of the general services department, the retiree health care authority, the public school insurance authority, the Albuquerque public schools, the human services department, the New Mexico health policy commission, the New Mexico legislative council and the legislative finance committee.