Health Care Cost Commission Gets Started
After a rocky start, the commission to study health care costs in New Hampshire will hold its first regular meeting on Tuesday.
Understanding the impact of health care economics is important given its growing influence across the economy. According to the N.H. Center for Public Policy Studies, personal health care costs made up 18 percent of the state economy in 2009. That’s double the amount from 1989, and it could grow to 25 percent or more in another 20 years.
The Commission on Health Care Cost Containment was originally designed as a permanent, three-member team funded by hospitals and insurers to review hospital costs. But, after significant political turmoil in the spring, Senate Bill 505 emerged in its final version as a commission charged with creating a first-of-its-kind study of general health care costs in the state. It passed the Senate 24-0 in March and the House 209-113 in April.
The commission chair and main sponsor of SB 505, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-Exeter), said members will study the health care reimbursement system throughout the state. They will also examine the impact of federal health care reform, consider options for implementing a common payment system for hospitals, and look for ways to incentivize better quality and efficiency.
Hassan said their ultimate goals include promoting competition in health insurance, reducing or eliminating payment differentials to hospitals and health care providers, fairly allocating the burden of charity care, promoting public access to cost information, and containing the increase in health care costs.
The commission has 11 members, including two each from the House and Senate; two from the state departments of insurance and health and human services; and five public members with expertise in health care and small business, appointed by Gov. John Lynch. The commission’s activities are funded at $250,000 by a one-time assessment, with half paid by insurers and the other half paid by hospital and ambulatory surgical centers in proportion to their net operation revenue.
“Funding to support a professional staff with the background and qualifications to analyze complex health care financing data is essential to the commission’s success,” Hassan said earlier this year.
The commission will have its next regular meetings Nov. 16 and Dec. 14. Its final report is due July 1, 2012.
>> Commission on Health Care Cost Containment will meet in Room 100 in the State House on Tuesday, Oct. 19, at 9 a.m.
This Daily Update was written by Michael McCord.
Posted by Hilary Niles
on Oct 18 2010. Filed under Commerce, costs, Health, health insurance, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, insurance, Weekly Briefing.
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