Universal Health Care Access
Statutory Authority

THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ESTABLISHING A SYSTEM OF
CONSOLIDATED HEALTH CARE FINANCING
Section 32 of chapter 141 of the Acts of 2000

SECTION 32. There is hereby established an advisory committee for the purpose of arranging for and evaluating an independent analysis of the feasibility and fiscal implications of establishing a system of consolidated health care financing and streamlined health care delivery model accessible to every resident of the commonwealth.

Said advisory committee shall review and evaluate said independent analysis in order to ensure that (1) access to affordable health care services that eliminates barriers to such services, medications and supplies necessary for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and palliation of physical and mental illness is available for all residents of the commonwealth; (2) patients have the right, within the terms of their health benefit plan and applicable state statutes, to freely choose their health care providers; (3) the high quality of health care in Massachusetts shall be preserved and promoted; (4) health services are organized in the most efficient manner possible, including the simplification of administrative procedures and reduction in administrative costs, to promote quality, affordable accessible patient care; (5) no financial incentives be permitted that limit patient access to medically necessary health care services.

Said advisory committee shall consist of the chairmen of the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on taxation, the joint committee on health care, and the joint committee on insurance, or their designees; one member of the minority party to be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; one member of the minority party to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; the secretary of health and human services or his designee, the commissioner of health care finance and policy or his designee, and one representative from each of the following organizations: the state labor council of the American Federation of Labor/Congress of Industrial Organizations, Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the Massachusetts Hospital Association, the Massachusetts Medical Society, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the Massachusetts Association of Health Maintenance Organizations, the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, the Home and Health Care Association of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Human Services Coalition, the Massachusetts Extended Care Federation, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, Health Care for All, Mass-Care, the Small Business Service Bureau, the Life Insurance Association of Massachusetts, the Ad Hoc Committee to Defend Health care, and the Service Employees International Union. Said advisory committee shall be co-chaired by one advisory committee senate member designated by the senate president and one advisory committee house member designated by the speaker of the house of representatives.

Said advisory committee shall, subject to appropriation and upon the approval of the appointed co-chairs of said advisory committee, commission an independent consultant to analyze, evaluate and measure the implications of creating said system of consolidated health care financing and streamlined health care delivery model. Said advisory committee shall advise, direct and consult with said independent consultant on the execution and completion of said analysis. Said analysis shall include, but not be limited to, an account of the following: (a) the legal, political, and financial impacts associated with the transition from the existing health care delivery system in the commonwealth to a streamlined and unified system of health care benefits which may be administered by the state; (b) the projected cost of establishing said system and a detailed account of the savings resulting therefrom; (c) the cost of administering said system, including an itemized account of the methodology used to determine said cost projection; (d) the revenue streams necessary to implement and sustain said system; (e) a list of any and all required policy and budgetary changes needed to implement said system; (f) an analysis of said system’s impact on the state’s private health care market, the consumers, and the employers who may purchase such health care benefits.

Said advisory committee shall convene upon the call of the co-chairs in order to (a) advise and consult with said independent consultant on the completion and implementation of said analysis; (b) review and make recommendations on any and all preliminary findings of said independent consultant's analysis; (c) review and make recommendations to said independent consultant for a report to be submitted to the general court.

Said independent consultant shall report to the general court the preliminary results of its analysis by filing the same with the clerk of the house of representatives and the clerk of the senate on or before April 30, 2001. Said advisory committee shall file its preliminary recommendation, based on the preliminary report of said independent consultant with the clerk of the house of representatives and the clerk of the senate, on or before May 31, 2001. Said independent consultant shall report to the general court the final results of his analysis and findings by filing the same with the clerk of the house of representatives and the clerk of the senate on or before November 15, 2001. Said advisory committee shall file its final recommendations based on the final report of said independent consultant with the clerk of the house of representatives and the clerk of the senate on or before December 31, 2001.

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