As Reported by the Senate Health, Human Services 1
and Aging Committee 2
123rd General Assembly 4
Regular Session Sub. H. B. No. 16 5
1999-2000 6
REPRESENTATIVES MOTTLEY-TIBERI-CORBIN-HAINES-SCHULER-VESPER- 7
BEATTY-MAIER-OPFER-KRUPINSKI-PADGETT-TAYLOR-BRADING-WESTON- 8
TERWILLEGER-WOMER BENJAMIN-EVANS-CALVERT-MYERS-SULLIVAN- 9
GARDNER-PERZ-SULZER-D.MILLER-DePIERO-GOODMAN-FLANNERY- 10
CAREY-FERDERBER-ALLEN-VERICH-MEAD-PRINGLE-AUSTRIA- 11
BARNES-HARRIS-WILSON-HEALY-PATTON-METZGER-OLMAN- 12
ROBERTS-METELSKY-SALERNO-CORE-SENATOR PRENTISS 13
_________________________________________________________________ 15
A B I L L
To create a task force to study consumer access to 17
preferred provider plans, point of service plans, 18
and other open panel plans for health care 19
coverage, and to declare an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO: 20
Section 1. (A) There is hereby created a task force 22
consisting of the following members to study consumer access to 23
preferred provider plans, point of service plans, and other open 24
panel plans for health care coverage:
(1) Three members of the House of Representatives, 26
including the chairperson of the House Health, Retirement, and 27
Aging Committee, one other member of the majority political 28
party, and one member of the minority political party; 29
(2) Three members of the Senate, including the chairperson 32
of the Senate Health, Human Services, and Aging Committee, one 33
other member from the majority political party, and one member 34
from the minority political party;
(3) The Superintendent of Insurance or the 36
Superintendent's designee;
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(4) Two representatives of health care providers who 38
provide health care services in this state; 39
(5) One representative of a health insuring corporation 41
that is authorized under Chapter 1751. of the Revised Code to 42
operate in this state and is offering a point of service plan; 43
(6) One representative of a health insuring corporation 45
that is authorized under Chapter 1751. of the Revised Code to 46
operate in this state, other than a health insuring corporation 47
described in division (A)(5) of this section;
(7) One representative of an employer in Ohio that employs 49
fewer than twenty-five individuals, other than an employer 51
described in division (A)(4), (5), or (6) of this section; 52
(8) One representative of an employer in Ohio that employs 54
twenty-five or more individuals, other than an employer described 55
in division (A)(4), (5), or (6) of this section; 56
(9) Two representatives of consumers in this state. 58
The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint 60
the members listed in divisions (A)(1) and (6) of this section 61
and one of the members listed in division (A)(4) of this section. 62
The President of the Senate shall appoint the members listed in 63
divisions (A)(2) and (5) of this section and one of the members 64
listed in division (A)(4) of this section. With regard to the 65
members of the minority political parties described in divisions 66
(A)(1) and (2) of this section, the Speaker and the President 68
shall make those appointments in consultation with their 69
respective minority leaders. The Governor shall appoint the 70
members listed in divisions (A)(7), (8), and (9) of this section.
Appointments to the task force shall be made no later than 72
thirty days after the effective date of this section. The 73
Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the 74
Senate shall each designate a member of the majority party of the 75
House of Representatives and Senate appointed under division 77
(A)(1) or (2) of this section to serve as co-chairpersons. The
task force shall meet at the call of either of the 78
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co-chairpersons. Members of the task force shall serve without 79
compensation but may be reimbursed for their actual and necessary 81
expenses in performing the official duties of the task force. 82
(B) At the direction of the Legislative Service 84
Commission, the Director of the Legislative Service Commission 85
shall provide staff support to the task force within the 86
Commission's current budget appropriation. With the approval of 87
the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of 88
the Senate, the task force may request that the Controlling Board 89
appropriate funds for services not provided by the Commission. 90
(C) The task force shall study the issue of whether access 92
to preferred provider plans, point of service plans, and other 93
open panel plans for health care coverage is available and at 94
what cost, whether there are any obstacles to access, and whether 95
those types of health care plans enhance or impede consumer 96
access to quality and affordable health care. Not later than 97
December 31, 1999, the task force shall prepare and submit a 98
report of its findings to the Governor, the Speaker of the House 99
of Representatives, the President of the Senate, and the chairs 100
of the standing committees of the House of Representatives and 101
Senate with primary responsibility for insurance legislation. On 102
submission of the report, the task force shall cease to exist. 103
Section 2. This act is hereby declared to be an emergency 105
measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public 106
peace, health, and safety. The reason for such necessity is that 107
the results of the study required by this act will be used in 108
making future health care coverage decisions that affect a 109
significant number of Ohioans, and prompt commencement of the 110
study will ensure that the results are as complete and accurate 111
as possible. Therefore, this act shall go into immediate effect. 112