As Passed by the Senate 1
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-SENATORS PRENTISS- 13
WATTS-OELSLAGER-WACHTMANN 14
_________________________________________________________________ 16
A B I L L
To create a task force to study consumer access to 18
preferred provider plans, point of service plans, 19
and other open panel plans for health care 20
coverage, and to declare an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO: 21
Section 1. (A) There is hereby created a task force 23
consisting of the following members to study consumer access to 24
preferred provider plans, point of service plans, and other open 25
panel plans for health care coverage:
(1) Three members of the House of Representatives, 27
including the chairperson of the House Health, Retirement, and 28
Aging Committee, one other member of the majority political 29
party, and one member of the minority political party; 30
(2) Three members of the Senate, including the chairperson 33
of the Senate Health, Human Services, and Aging Committee, one 34
other member from the majority political party, and one member 35
from the minority political party;
(3) The Superintendent of Insurance or the 37
Superintendent's designee;
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(4) Two representatives of health care providers who 39
provide health care services in this state; 40
(5) One representative of a health insuring corporation 42
that is authorized under Chapter 1751. of the Revised Code to 43
operate in this state and is offering a point of service plan; 44
(6) One representative of a health insuring corporation 46
that is authorized under Chapter 1751. of the Revised Code to 47
operate in this state, other than a health insuring corporation 48
described in division (A)(5) of this section;
(7) One representative of an employer in Ohio that employs 50
fewer than twenty-five individuals, other than an employer 52
described in division (A)(4), (5), or (6) of this section; 53
(8) One representative of an employer in Ohio that employs 55
twenty-five or more individuals, other than an employer described 56
in division (A)(4), (5), or (6) of this section; 57
(9) Two representatives of consumers in this state. 59
The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint 61
the members listed in divisions (A)(1) and (6) of this section 62
and one of the members listed in division (A)(4) of this section. 63
The President of the Senate shall appoint the members listed in 64
divisions (A)(2) and (5) of this section and one of the members 65
listed in division (A)(4) of this section. With regard to the 66
members of the minority political parties described in divisions 67
(A)(1) and (2) of this section, the Speaker and the President 69
shall make those appointments in consultation with their 70
respective minority leaders. The Governor shall appoint the 71
members listed in divisions (A)(7), (8), and (9) of this section.
Appointments to the task force shall be made no later than 73
thirty days after the effective date of this section. The 74
Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the 75
Senate shall each designate a member of the majority party of the 76
House of Representatives and Senate appointed under division 78
(A)(1) or (2) of this section to serve as co-chairpersons. The
task force shall meet at the call of either of the 79
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co-chairpersons. Members of the task force shall serve without 80
compensation but may be reimbursed for their actual and necessary 82
expenses in performing the official duties of the task force. 83
(B) At the direction of the Legislative Service 85
Commission, the Director of the Legislative Service Commission 86
shall provide staff support to the task force within the 87
Commission's current budget appropriation. With the approval of 88
the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of 89
the Senate, the task force may request that the Controlling Board 90
appropriate funds for services not provided by the Commission. 91
(C) The task force shall study the issue of whether access 93
to preferred provider plans, point of service plans, and other 94
open panel plans for health care coverage is available and at 95
what cost, whether there are any obstacles to access, and whether 96
those types of health care plans enhance or impede consumer 97
access to quality and affordable health care. Not later than 98
December 31, 1999, the task force shall prepare and submit a 99
report of its findings to the Governor, the Speaker of the House 100
of Representatives, the President of the Senate, and the chairs 101
of the standing committees of the House of Representatives and 102
Senate with primary responsibility for insurance legislation. On 103
submission of the report, the task force shall cease to exist. 104
Section 2. This act is hereby declared to be an emergency 106
measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public 107
peace, health, and safety. The reason for such necessity is that 108
the results of the study required by this act will be used in 109
making future health care coverage decisions that affect a 110
significant number of Ohioans, and prompt commencement of the 111
study will ensure that the results are as complete and accurate 112
as possible. Therefore, this act shall go into immediate effect. 113