MINUTES OF THE meeting

of the

ASSEMBLY Subcommittee on Health and Human Services

 

Seventy-First Session

March 16, 2001

 

 

The Subcommittee on Health and Human Serviceswas called to order at 1:00 p.m., on Friday, March 16, 2001.  Chairman Debbie Smith presided in Room 3138 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Agenda.  Exhibit B is the Guest List.  All exhibits are available and on file at the Research Library of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

 

 

SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Ms.                     Debbie Smith, Chairman

Ms.                     Dawn Gibbons

Ms.                     Bonnie Parnell

 

SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

None

 

GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT:

 

Assemblyman Douglas Bache, District 11

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Marla McDade Williams, Committee Policy Analyst

Darlene Rubin, Committee Secretary

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

None

 

 

Chairman Smith called the meeting to order and opened the hearing on A.B. 52.

 

Assembly Bill 52:  Limits fees which providers of health services that accept insurance payments may collect from patients and requires legislative audit of University Medical Center of Southern Nevada. (BDR 40-655)

 

Chairman Smith reported that at the last meeting discussion was held on the recommended changes and amendments to the original bill, as well as concerns about the problems that might be incurred as a result of the amendment that might preclude a practitioner from being able to bill the patient for noncovered charges.  Some language was suggested by Mr. Hillerby to clarify that issue.  Since then a suggestion was made that that might create some additional problems. 

 

Mrs. Smith asked Marla Williams to read a suggested concept of what the committee was trying to accomplish and have the Legal Division draft the appropriate language.

 

Marla McDade Williams, Committee Policy Analyst, advised that rather than recommend specific language, it had been suggested that the committee approach the Legal Division with a concept to the effect that the primary concern with the language of the bill was that it not preempt a contract between a health care provider and a health plan, which might include a managed care organization, a self-funded plan for health insurance, or any other entity that may contract for health insurance.

 

The committee wanted to ensure that the language would not preclude a health care provider from collecting allowable co-payments, nor suggest language that would in any way interfere with the insured plan’s prior authorization procedures, or covered versus noncovered benefits.

 

Chairman Smith asked for comment on the idea of taking the issue and concerns to the Legal Division.  She stated all parties involved had agreed on what was hoped would be accomplished, and that was that it would not be legal for a provider of health care services to bill a patient for charges that were supposed to be written off due to a contract.  However, it was not the intention to preempt a contract or get in the way unintentionally.  Mrs. Smith noted that referred to the first section of the bill, and that discussion would also be had on the second section of the bill concerning the audit.

 

Assemblyman Douglas Bache, District 11, stated he wished to comment on Section 2 of the bill first, which might make things easier with regard to Section 1.  He reported Mr. Crews, Legislative Counsel Bureau (LCB), Audit Division, had indicated $50,000 was needed for an audit of University Medical Center (UMC).  Mr. Bache suggested that cost be split between the LCB and UMC, $25,000 each, which would cause the bill to be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Mr. Bache felt it would be appropriate to ask the Legal Division to draft the concept above-stated for Section 1, which he was in agreement with, then if there were technical problems with the language that Legal drafted, there could be testimony to the effect that there were technical problems and those technical issues could be addressed in the Ways and Means Committee.  That would help the bill move along.  He added that would give the Ways and Means Committee an additional chance to look at the bill, before final passage on the floor, if they had concerns about the change to Section 1.

 

Chairman Smith asked for further comment in favor or opposition to the suggested changes.  There was none.  Mrs. Smith then asked Mr. Bache if he wanted his recommendation to split the audit cost of $50,000 between the LCB and UMC as an amendment to Section 2.  Mr. Bache said he did.  There were no comments either for or against that recommendation.  Mrs. Smith then entertained a motion.

 

            ASSEMBLYWOMAN GIBBONS MOVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE

 

            COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO AMEND AND DO

 

            PASS A.B. 52, WITH THE AMENDMENT THAT LEGAL DRAFT THE

 

            CONCEPTS OUTLINED; AND THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL

 

            BUREAU AND UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER SPLIT THE COST OF AN            

            AUDIT AND REREFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS.

 

            ASSEMBLYWOMAN PARNELL SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

           

            THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There being no further discussion before the subcommittee, Chairman Smith adjourned the meeting at 1:08 p.m.

 

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

Darlene Rubin

Committee Secretary

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

                       

Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, Chairman

 

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