HOUSE BILL 481
47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006
INTRODUCED BY
Danice Picraux
AN ACT
RELATING TO HEALTH COVERAGE; CREATING THE HEALTH COVERAGE FOR ALL NEW MEXICANS COMMITTEE; AUTHORIZING AN ANALYSIS OF THE COSTS OF VARIOUS HEALTH COVERAGE MODELS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
Section 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--HEALTH COVERAGE FOR ALL NEW MEXICANS COMMITTEE CREATED--MEMBERSHIP--APPOINTMENT--VACANCIES.--
A. The "health coverage for all New Mexicans committee" is created. The committee shall function from the date of its appointment until the first day of December prior to the second session of the forty-eighth legislature. The health coverage for all New Mexicans committee shall be composed of thirty-nine members.
B. The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint six members from the house of representatives. The president pro tempore of the senate shall appoint six members from the senate. In no event shall either party have less than one member from each house on the committee.
C. The governor, after public solicitation and receipt of applications from interested parties and after consultation with the chair of the legislative health and human services committee, shall appoint:
(1) three members representing the insurance industry in the state;
(2) three members representing employers, at least two of whom represent employers with less than twenty-five employees;
(3) three members representing nonprofit organizations, at least two of whom represent nonprofit organizations with less than twenty-five employees;
(4) three members representing the health care advocacy community;
(5) three members of the general public with demonstrated interest in health coverage for all New Mexicans;
(6) one member representing insurance brokers;
(7) three health care practitioners licensed to practice in the state of New Mexico; and
(8) one member representing labor.
D. The health coverage for all New Mexicans committee shall also include the following individuals:
(1) the secretary of human services or the secretary's designee;
(2) the secretary of general services or the secretary's designee;
(3) the secretary of health or the secretary's designee;
(4) the executive director of the New Mexico health policy commission or the executive director's designee;
(5) the superintendent of insurance or the superintendent's designee;
(6) the executive director or the chair of the board of directors of the New Mexico health insurance alliance; and
(7) the executive director or the chair of the board of the New Mexico medical insurance program.
E. Vacancies on the committee shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the original appointments.
F. The governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president pro tempore of the senate shall jointly name the chair of the health coverage for all New Mexicans committee.
Section 2. TEMPORARY PROVISION--DUTIES--PER DIEM AND MILEAGE.--
A. After its appointment, the health coverage for all New Mexicans committee shall hold one organizational meeting annually no later than April 30, 2006 and April 30, 2007 to develop a work plan and budget for the ensuing interim.
B. In developing the work plan, the health coverage for all New Mexicans committee shall take into consideration current resources, projected needs and public and private health care expenditures in the state to contract for an analysis of various models, including the cost of the current system and the transitional cost to each different model analyzed, to achieve health coverage for all New Mexicans. The analysis shall consider the costs of various models and appropriate roles for health care consumers and providers; medicaid and other publicly funded, operated or created health care programs; and businesses, nonprofit organizations, brokers and commercial insurers. The analysis shall be conducted by national experts who have experience in the analysis of the costs of health coverage models.
C. The health coverage for all New Mexicans committee shall actively and consistently solicit public input.
D. The work plan and budget shall be submitted to the New Mexico legislative council for approval.
E. Public members shall be paid per diem and mileage pursuant to the Per Diem and Mileage Act.
F. Legislative members shall be reimbursed per diem and mileage at the same rates as legislators are paid for attendance at joint legislature interim committee meetings.
G. All meetings of the health coverage for all New Mexicans committee or its subcommittees shall be open to the public.
Section 3. TEMPORARY PROVISION--SUBCOMMITTEES.--If a subcommittee is required, the subcommittee shall be created only by majority vote of all members appointed to the health coverage for all New Mexicans committee. A subcommittee shall be composed of at least one member from the senate and one member from the house of representatives, and at least one member of the minority party shall be a member of the subcommittee. All meetings and expenditures of a subcommittee shall be approved by the full committee in advance of such meeting or expenditure, and the approval shall be shown in the minutes of the committee.
Section 4. TEMPORARY PROVISION--REPORT.--The health coverage for all New Mexicans committee shall periodically report to the governor and the legislative health and human services committee on its findings and recommendations and shall make a final report of its findings and recommendations no later than December 1, 2007 for the consideration of the legislature and the governor.
Section 5. TEMPORARY PROVISION--STAFF.--The staff for the health coverage for all New Mexicans committee shall be provided by the legislative council service, the human services department and the governor's health policy advisor.
Section 6. APPROPRIATION.--
A. Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative council service for expenditure in fiscal years 2006 through 2008 to pay for reimbursement of the per diem and mileage expenses of the public members of the health coverage for all New Mexicans committee.
B. Four hundred fifty thousand dollars ($450,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative council service for expenditure in fiscal years 2006 through 2008 to pay for the analysis and for technical and legal assistance to carry out the provisions of this act.
C. The health coverage for all New Mexicans committee shall work in conjunction with the chair of the legislative health and human services committee, the legislative council service, the human services department and the New Mexico health policy commission in determining the content of the analysis and the technical and legal assistance required for carrying out the provisions of this act.
D. Payments from the appropriation shall be made upon vouchers signed by the director of the legislative council service or the director's authorized representative.
E. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall revert to the general fund.
Section 7. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.
- 7 -