SB 352 – This act establishes a Commission on the Reorganization of State Health Care which shall have as it purpose the study, review and recommendation of creating a Division of State Health Care within the Office of Administration. The proposed new division would be dedicated to providing health care coverage for all state employees, dependents, retirees and those recipients of MO HealthNet and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) by focusing the purchasing power and streamlining the administration of the state's health care purchasing. The commission will consist of sixteen members. Four members will come from the legislature, three will be the directors of the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration, Social Services and the MO HealthNet Division, one will be the commissioner of the Office of Administration, one will be a member of the Board of Curators of the University of Missouri and the others will be representatives or directors from the various groups that are assimilated under the new Division of State Health Care.
The commission shall submit a report to the General Assembly and governor by December 31, 2009, on the creation of the new division, which will serve through three implementation phases as the lead planning state entity for all health issues in the state.
The commission shall designate a work group to provide analysis on the recommendations required of the commission consisting of members representing any health policy center or program from the public institutions of higher education in the state.
The commission shall also investigate coordinating and purchasing health care benefit plans, during the second phase, for employees of the public schools, community colleges and political subdivisions of the state. The study shall also include the feasibility of creating and administering insurance programs in the third phase for small businesses and the uninsured in the state.
The provisions of this act shall expire on February 1, 2010. This act has an emergency clause.
ADRIANE CROUSE