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Wyoming Legislature

Committee Meeting Summary of Proceedings

Health Care Commission Subcommittee of the Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee

July 29, 2003

Hitching Post Inn

Cheyenne, Wyoming

Meeting Attendance (Present)

Committee Members

Representative Jerry Iekel, Chairman

Senators Mike Massie and Charles K. Scott

Legislative Service Office

John Rivera, Senior Staff Attorney

Others Present

Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.

Meeting Attendance (Absent)

Committee Members

Representative Doug Osborn

Written Meeting Materials and Handouts

All meeting materials and handouts provided to the Committee by the Legislative Service Office (LSO), public officials, lobbyists, and the public are referenced in the Meeting Materials Index, attached to the minutes.  These materials are on file at the LSO and are part of the official record of the meeting. 

Call To Order

Chairman Iekel called the meeting to order at 6:30 a.m..  The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic. 

Coordination with the Wyoming Health Care Commission

Chairman Iekel explained the primary purpose of the meeting was to discuss how the Subcommittee would interact and relate to the Wyoming Health Care Commission.

Senator Scott suggested that it is vital to make it clear the Commission has the full support of the Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee in its endeavors and that the Subcommittee will serve as the conduit for the drafting of legislative recommendations the Commission may make.  The Subcommittee will also provide feedback to the Commission with regard to recommendations made by the Commission for draft legislation.

Senator Massie added it would be important for the Subcommittee to advise the Commission about any legislative proposals the Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee will be pursuing to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.  The Health Insurance Task Force should be addressed with respect to if, and when, its efforts will be blended into the Commission's study. 

Ms. Diane Harrop, Director, Wyoming Health Care Commission, stated the Commission wants to propose what it believes will be the best solutions to the problems it is addressing, not necessarily the solutions that will be most politically acceptable. Senator Scott advised that the Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee may well support the Commission's recommendations, but those recommendations are likely to be amended if they are too expensive to implement or if unforeseen consequences of the recommendations have to be addressed.

Senator Massie added that it will be important to acknowledge that the Commission is operating independently and is free to make its recommendations as it chooses, but the Subcommittee and other members of the Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee should be encouraged to provide their comments on proposals, just as Commission members are encouraged to provide input into the Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee's deliberations on relevant issues.

Presentation Before the Wyoming Health Care Commission

Chairman Iekel distributed copies of the presentation he would be making before the Commission later in the day (Appendix 2). He explained that he would also discuss various bills the Legislature has considered in the last session that were relevant to the Commission's study.

Senator Scott distributed a summary of the presentation he will be making before the Commission (Appendix 3) with respect to the circumstances that led to the creation of the Wyoming Health Care Commission. He also distributed a copy of the presentation he made at the annual conference of the National Conference of State Legislatures (Appendix 4), which he would share at the meeting later in the day.

Meeting Adjournment

There being no further business, Chairman Iekel adjourned the meeting at 7:20 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Representative Jerry Iekel, Chairman