_________ Joint Resolution No. _______

Introduced By _______________________________________________________________________________

By Request of the Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee

A Joint Resolution of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the state of Montana requesting an interim study on health care; and requiring a report of the findings of the study to the 56th legislature.

WHEREAS, the Legislature created the Montana Health Care Authority in 1993 that was succeeded by the Health Care Advisory Council in 1995; and

WHEREAS, the extension of the Health Care Advisory Council and sufficient funding for its purposes by the 1997 Legislature are tentative; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature believes that health care will remain a significant public policy issue and that ongoing changes in managed care organization regulation, small group employer health care reform, and potentially volatile health care cost growth rates will require legislative oversight; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Public Health and Human Services may not be able to sustain the Health Care Advisory Council within the budget constraints of the 1997 Legislature; and

WHEREAS, an interim study by an appropriate legislative committee would present a public forum for legislators, the public, and representatives from the health care and insurance industries.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

That an appropriate interim committee be assigned to:

(1) study Montana's health care system;

(2) continue to monitor and analyze the system based on the previous work of the Health Care Advisory Council;

(3) monitor and evaluate the impact of recent health care legislation; and

(4) continue to develop initiatives regarding affordability and access to health care.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the interim committee report the findings of the study to the 56th Legislature and present options for legislative consideration, if necessary.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that if general fund revenue is not appropriated to the Department of Public Health and Human Services for the Health Care Advisory Council, this interim study resolution be included in the interim study poll of the legislators.

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