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Health Care Cost Containment Division

TWENTY-FIFTH MEETING

2005-2006 Regular Session - Monday, March 13, 2006

STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-FIFTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FOURTH SESSION

COST CONTAINMENT DIVISION
HEALTH POLICY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE


Representative Jim Abeler, Chairman of the Cost Containment Division of the Health Policy and Finance Committee, called the twenty-fifth meeting to order at 4:11 P.M. on Monday, March 13, 2006, in Room 200 of the State Office Building.

The Clerk noted the roll.

Members present:

ABELER, Jim, Chairman OTREMBA, Mary Ellen
BRADLEY, Fran POWELL, Duke
BROD, Laura SAMUELSON, Char
GREILING, Mindy THISSEN, Paul
HUNTLEY, Tom WESTERBERG, Andy

Members excused:
GOODWIN, Barb


A quorum was present.

Rep. Otremba moved the approval of the minutes for March 1, 2006, March 8, 2006, and March 9, 2006.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend minutes for March 1, 2006 to reflect Rep. Brod was excused. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Otremba renewed her motion to approve the minutes for March 1, 2006, March 8, 2006, and March 9, 2006. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE MINUTES WERE APPROVED AS AMENDED.

HF 2832 (Abeler): Business and political subdivision employee health coverage reinsurance pool created and money appropriated.

Rep. Abeler presented amendment H2832DE1.

Testifying to the amendment:

Danette Coleman, Medica
Sam Walseth, Service Cooperatives

Rep. Abeler moved to amend HF2832 (See Amendment H2832DE1 attached). THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

HF 1863 (Abeler): Electronic medical record system loan program fund established, bonds issued, and money appropriated.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend HF1863 (See Amendment JT-AMD02 attached). THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

HF 2438 (Abeler): Health plan innovation and regulation provided, health plan companies and plans requirements modified, consumer information disclosure required, reports and studies required, and cost-containment initiatives implemented.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend HF2438 (See Amendment H2438DE8-2 attached).

Testifying to the amendment:

Janelle Taylor, House Research
Tom Pender, House Research

Rep. Abeler renewed his motion to amend HF2438 (See Amendment H2438DE8-2 attached). THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend HF2438, as amended, (See Amendment H2438A4 attached).

Testifying to the amendment:

Sue Stout, Minnesota Hospital Association

Rep. Abeler renewed his motion to amend HF2438, as amended, (See Amendment H2438A4 attached). THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend HF2438, as amended, (See Amendment H2438A5 attached). THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend the H2438DE8-2 amendment as follows:
Page 7, Line 13 delete: shall
insert: may
Page 7, Line 16 after: and insert /or
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend the H2438DE8-2 amendment, as amended, as follows:
Page 2, Line 7: delete: small
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend the H2438DE8-2 amendment, as amended, as follows:
Page 8, Line 1: delete: free or subsidized
Page 8, Line 3: delete: free or subsidized
Page 8, Line 6: delete: free or subsidized
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

HF 2831 (Abeler): Employer health coverage pooling programs reformed and recodified; money appropriated.

Rep. Abeler presented the H2831DE1 amendment to HF 2831.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend the H2831DE1 amendment (See Amendment JT-AMD01 attached). THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

HF 1862 (Abeler): Health care provider expenditure reporting requirements modified, separate procedure established for procedures over $5,000,000, certain medical referrals restricted, and money appropriated.

Rep. Abeler presented HF1862.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend HF2831 (See Amendment H2831DE1, as amended, attached).

Rep. Abeler moved to amend the H2831DE1 amendment, as amended, as follows:
Page 2, Line 6, strike everything
Page 2, Line 34 strike nursing homes and insert townships
Page 3, Line 6 strike Minnesota Association of Nursing Homes and insert Minnesota
Association of Townships
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend the H2831DE1 amendment, as amended, as follows:
Page 5, Line 22: Delete must
Insert: may
Page 5, Line 24: After: premium insert: if paid
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend the H2831DE1 amendment, as amended, as follows:
Page 6, Lines 10-12: After, “death.”, Delete: “The spouse remains eligible to participate in
the program as long as the group that included the deceased employee or former employee
participates in the program.
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend the H2831DE1 amendment, as amended, as follows:
Page 5, Line 22: After: be
Insert: up to
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Otremba moved to amend the H2831DE1 amendment, as amended, as follows:
Page 6, Lines 10-12: After “death.”, insert the language previously stricken by oral
amendment.
Page 6, Lines 10-12: Strike everything after, “The spouse remains eligible to participate in
the program as long as the”
Page 6, Line 11: After “the” insert: “spouse chooses to do so.”
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Thissen moved to reconsider HF2831.

Rep. Abeler informed Rep. Thissen that a motion to reconsider HF2831 was not in order since the bill has not passed the committee at this time.

Rep. Thissen moved to rescind his motion to reconsider HF2831. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Rep. Thissen moved to table amendment H2831DE1, as amended. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS TABLED.

Rep. Thissen moved to amend the JT-AMD01 amendment, which was amended to H2831DE1
amendment.
Page 1, Lines 3 through 6: delete everything
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Huntley moved to amend the H2831DE1 amendment, as amended:
Page 3, Line 14: After “exclusive representative”, insert: “who participates in the employer’s
plan in the program”
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Huntley moved to amend the H2831DE1 amendment, as amended:
Page 3, Line 25: After “employees”, insert: “who participate in the employers plan must
participate in the program”
Page 3, Line 26: Strike: “must participate”
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Testifying to the H2831DE1 amendment, as amended:
Tom Pender, House Research
Lee Johansen, Education Minnesota

HF 1862 (Abeler): Health care provider expenditure reporting requirements modified, separate procedure established for procedures over $5,000,000, certain medical referrals restricted, and money appropriated.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend HF1862 (See Amendment H2438DE8-2, as amended, attached).

Rep. Abeler moved to amend the H2438DE8-2 amendment, as amended, as follows:
Page 1, Line 12: After, “board”, insert: “or provider organization”
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Abeler renewed his motion to amend HF1862 (See Amendment H2438DE8-2, as amended):
Page 1, Line 3: Insert everything after Page 1, Line 3 and renumber accordingly.
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend HF1862, as amended, (See Amendment H2832DE1 attached):
Page 1, Line 3: Insert everything after Page 1, Line 3 and renumber accordingly.
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Abeler moved to amend HF1862, as amended, (See Amendment JT-AMD01 attached):
Page 1, Line 6: Insert everything after Page 1, Line 6 and renumber accordingly.
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Testifying to the H2438DE8-2 amendment:

Geoff Bartsh, Health Partners

Rep. Abeler moved to amend the H2832DE1 amendment, as amended:
Page 11, Line 9: After 13.203 delete: “.” And Insert: “, and must also provide that same
information to exclusive representatives of the employees upon request.”
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

The committee adjourned at 5:43 P.M. with all bills still standing before the committee.


______________________________________
Rep. Jim Abeler, Chairman


______________________________________
Jennifer Eilts, Committee Legislative Assistant