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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR	Maes		DATE TYPED	02-07-04		HB
SHORT TITLE		Health Policy Commission Member Exceptions				SB	566
					ANALYST		Chabot

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY04	FY05	FY04	FY05
		NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Attorney General (AG)

Department of Health (DOH)

New Mexico Health Policy Commission (HPC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 566 amends Section 9-7-11.2 NMSA 1978 pertaining to the Health Policy Commission to allow that “an individual who is employed by a nonprofit organization or a state educational institution and is paid a salary for employment but does not have any other pecuniary or fiduciary interest in the health services industry may be appointed to the commission.”

Significant Issues

AG states the purpose of the bill is “to exempt people who had an otherwise disqualifying interest in the health services industry in the preceding three years because they take a salaried job at a nonprofit organization or state educational institution.”

HPC states the commission “is intended to be a ‘neutral’ body with no undue influence from any member of the Health Care Sector. By allowing for exceptions to the composition of the commission, the neutrality of the Commission may be compromised…Provision of exceptions to two specific groups, nonprofit organizations and state educational institutions, gives the appearance of favoritism, and add the perception of bias to the Commission. To allow for these two exceptions would open the door to allow other exceptions for other group interests.”

HPC suggests if the membership is to change, there are many options to be considered such as specifying membership from specific entities or a representative from health care finance, health care access, health care delivery systems, and health care education.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1. What is the impetus for changing the HPC membership?
2. What is the proper commission make-up if specific health related entities are to be included?
3. Could enacting this bill lead to other changes in selection and number of commissioners?

GAC/dm