‘Resolve, To Study the Feasibility of Consolidating Health Plan Coverage for State Employees with Other Public Employees’
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. Study of consolidated health plan; working group convened. Resolved: That, in accordance with this section, the State Employee Health Commission, referred to in this section as "the commission," shall convene a working group to study the feasibility of consolidating health plan coverage for state and public employees and retirees to leverage collective purchasing power in order to advance delivery and payment system reform to improve population health, enhance patient experience with the health care system and reduce per capita health care costs.
1. The commission shall invite the participation of the following stakeholders as members of the working group: representatives of the University of Maine System, the Maine Education Association Benefits Trust, the Maine Municipal Employees Health Trust, the Maine School Management Association, labor unions, the Maine Health Management Coalition and the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Bureau of Insurance.
2. The working group shall examine the feasibility of consolidating health plan coverage for state employees and retirees with health plan coverage for other public employees and retirees, including, but not limited to, municipal employees and retirees, public school employees and retirees and University of Maine System employees and retirees. In conducting the study, the working group shall:
A. Study consolidated plans in other jurisdictions, such as the California Public Employees' Retirement System, the Washington State Health Care Authority and the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan;
B. Identify federal and state regulatory issues and potential barriers associated with merging multiple-employer welfare arrangements, Taft-Hartley health trust plans and single-employer plans;
C. Conduct an actuarial analysis of the potential risk pool;
D. Identify the reserves needed to self-fund a consolidated health plan;
E. Recommend a model for the structure and governance of a consolidated health plan;
F. Identify the resources required to administer a consolidated health plan, including actuarial, legal, medical director, finance, research and analysis services; and
G. Recommend a source or sources of ongoing funding for administration of a consolidated health plan.
3. To assist the working group, the commission may contract with consultants for health data collection and analysis, actuarial, legal and other consulting services.
4. The commission shall submit a report on the working group's study, including the working group's recommendations and any suggested legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on Insurance and Financial Services no later than December 7, 2011. The joint standing committees may report out a bill based on the report to the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature; and be it further
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: That the following appropriations and allocations are made.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
Accident - Sickness - Health Insurance 0455
Initiative: Appropriates funds on a one-time basis for the actuarial analysis and other costs to the State Employee Health Commission to study the feasibility of consolidating health plan coverage for state employees and other public employees.
| GENERAL FUND | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
|
All Other
|
$315,800 | $0 |
 |
|
|
| GENERAL FUND TOTAL | $315,800 | $0 |
SUMMARY
This amendment is the majority report of the committee and replaces the bill with a resolve requiring the State Employee Health Commission to convene a working group to study the feasibility of consolidating health plan coverage for state employees and retirees with health plan coverage for other public employees and retirees.
The amendment also adds an appropriation section to provide the funds for the actuarial analysis and other costs of the study.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)