Resolve, To Reduce Health Care Costs through Interstate Collaboration

Sec. 1. Interstate collaboration. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services in consultation with health policy groups in the State, including, but not limited to, the Maine Health Management Coalition, the Muskie School of Public Service, Quality Counts and the Maine Health Access Foundation, shall participate in regional interstate efforts to identify and implement systems and methodologies to reduce health care costs and improve the health care of all of the participating states' citizens. This process must be undertaken with the New England States Consortia Systems Organization and other cooperative regional efforts; and be it further

Sec. 2. Reports. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services shall issue an interim report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services and the Advisory Council on Health Systems Development, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 31-A, by January 15, 2012. The department shall submit a final report to the advisory council and the committee by September 15, 2012.

summary

This resolve directs the Department of Health and Human Services in consultation with health policy groups in the State to participate in regional interstate efforts to identify and implement systems and methodologies to reduce health care costs and improve the health care of the citizens of the participating states with the New England States Consortia Systems Organization and other cooperative regional efforts. The resolve also requires an interim report and a final report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services.