Senate Bill No. 289–Senator Neal

 

March 14, 2003

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Referred to Committee on Human Resources and Facilities

 

SUMMARY—Establishes State Health Authority to plan for single payer health care system and for expansion of Medicaid program. (BDR 40‑720)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                           Effect on the State: Yes.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to health care; establishing in skeleton form the State Health Authority to plan for a single payer health care system in the State of Nevada and for the expansion of the Medicaid program; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1  Section 1. Chapter 439 of NRS is hereby amended by adding

1-2  thereto the provisions set forth as sections 2 to 5, inclusive, of this

1-3  act.

1-4  Sec. 2.  As used in sections 2 to 5, inclusive, of this act, unless

1-5  the context otherwise requires, “Authority” means the State

1-6  Health Authority established pursuant to section 3 of this act.

1-7  Sec. 3.  1.  The State Health Authority is hereby established

1-8  within the Department of Human Resources.

1-9  2.  The Authority consists of:

1-10      (a) Nine members deemed appropriate by and appointed by the

1-11  Governor;

1-12      (b) Two members who are representative of the health care

1-13  industry appointed by the Governor;

 

 

2-1  (c) The Director of the Department of Human Resources or

2-2  his designee;

2-3  (d) The Director of the Department of Business and Industry

2-4  or his designee; and

2-5  (e) The Commissioner of Insurance or his designee.

2-6  Sec. 4.  1.  The Authority is responsible for planning for the

2-7  provision of health care services to all residents of this state. The

2-8  Authority shall:

2-9  (a) Determine the future needs of this state for providers of

2-10  health care, medical facilities, medical equipment and other health

2-11  care services;

2-12      (b) Develop a plan for providing health insurance to residents

2-13  of this state whose incomes are under 300 percent of the federally

2-14  designated level signifying poverty and who but for their income

2-15  are otherwise eligible for benefits pursuant to Medicaid;

2-16      (c) Develop a plan for Medicaid to provide all optional services

2-17  that it is authorized to provide pursuant to federal law; and

2-18      (d) Develop a plan for the State of Nevada to purchase all

2-19  health care services for residents of this state, including, without

2-20  limitation, a method for funding the plan, based on a study of the

2-21  feasibility of:

2-22          (1) Reimbursing each provider of health care within 30

2-23  days after the provision of a service by the provider at a rate

2-24  determined by the Authority;

2-25          (2) Collecting a monthly employer health insurance

2-26  assessment from each employee who earns a wage or salary in this

2-27  state; and

2-28          (3) Funding the plan through the collection of an employer

2-29  health insurance assessment, money provided by the Federal

2-30  Government for Medicaid, appropriations from the State General

2-31  Fund and fees paid by insurance carriers.

2-32      2.  The Authority shall obtain input from the public in

2-33  developing the required plans pursuant to this section.

2-34      3.  The Authority shall submit the plans it develops pursuant

2-35  to subsection 1 to the Director of the Department of Human

2-36  Resources on or before October 1, 2004.

2-37      4.  The Authority shall submit the plans it develops pursuant

2-38  to subsection 1 and any suggestions for necessary legislation to

2-39  carry out the plans to the Legislature on or before January 1,

2-40  2005.

2-41      Sec. 5.  Any agency, bureau, board, commission, department

2-42  or division of the State of Nevada that funds the provision of

2-43  health care services to residents of this state may, to the extent

2-44  authorized pursuant to federal law, transfer money to the

2-45  Authority to carry out the provisions of sections 2 to 5, inclusive,

3-1  of this act, and to carry out a plan developed by the Authority

3-2  pursuant to section 4 of this act.

3-3  Sec. 6.  This act becomes effective on January 1, 2004.

 

3-4  H