Second Regular Session Sixty-eighth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. 12-0693.01 Bob Lackner x4350 HOUSE BILL 12-1245 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Fields, Ferrandino SENATE SPONSORSHIP (None), House Committees Senate Committees State, Veterans, & Military Affairs A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning options regarding health care coverage for government employees. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) The bill creates a 13-member group purchase of health care insurance by government employees task force (task force) to meet in the 2012 interim to study issues involving the pooling of resources among state and local government employees in the state to purchase health care insurance and related products, report its findings and recommendations, and, if appropriate, propose statutory modifications. The bill specifies the required qualifications of the members of the task force and additional requirements governing the appointing authorities and procedures of the task force. The task force is required to study, make recommendations, and report findings on all matters relating to the group purchase of health care insurance by government employees, including, without limitation, innovative solutions and strategies for leveraging the purchasing power of state and local governments to expand health care coverage for the employees of such governments and their families at the lowest cost to the taxpayer while addressing any impediments to such goals provided by federal or state law. The task force is required to submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the relevant committees of the general assembly by December 15, 2012. The task force is required to meet at least 4 times, with the first meeting occurring no later than August 1, 2012. Meetings of the task force are public meetings. The task force is required to solicit and accept reports and public testimony and may request other sources to provide testimony, written comments, and other relevant data to the task force. Members of the task force will serve without compensation and will not be reimbursed for their expenses. Any staff assistance required by the task force shall be performed by existing employees of the department of personnel within existing appropriations. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-50-619 as follows: 24-50-619. Group purchase of health care insurance by government employees - task force - legislative declaration - report - repeal. (1) (a) The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that: (I) The cost of the average health insurance premium contribution per state employee is growing, while the overall cost of health benefits continues to rise for both state and local government employees, putting additional pressure on state and local government budgets; (II) Acknowledging the Colorado state budget's limitations and the growing cost of health care, the general assembly should pursue innovative solutions for containing costs while enhancing health outcomes; (III) Such solutions should specifically involve ways to expand participation in the state's group benefit plans, leverage the buying power of state and local governments in connection with the purchase of health care insurance and related products, control health care costs, and enhance positive health care outcomes for employees and their families; and (IV) Group purchase of health care insurance coverage on the part of state and local government employees will materially advance the ability of the state to satisfy the aspirations of this part 6 as set forth in section 24-50-602. (b) By enacting this section, the general assembly intends that the state partner with organizations, including representatives from counties, municipalities, special districts, nonprofit organizations, and other private entities, to research innovative strategies for, and to make recommendations on, ways the state and local governments may pool their resources to provide government employees in the state with health care benefits comparable to those enjoyed by their private-sector counterparts, meaningful health care choices, and all of the advantages of comprehensive health care coverage at the lowest cost to the taxpayer. (2) There is hereby created the group purchase of health care insurance by government employees task force, referred to in this section as the "task force", which shall meet in the interim after the second regular session of the sixty-eighth general assembly to study issues involving the pooling of resources among government employees in the state to purchase health care insurance and related products, report its findings and recommendations, and, if appropriate, propose statutory modifications consistent with the purpose and aims specified in subsection (1) of this section. (3) The task force consists of thirteen members as follows: (a) The director, or his or her designee, to be appointed by the governor; (b) The commissioner of insurance, or his or her designee, to be appointed by the governor; (c) A representative of county technical services, inc., to be appointed by the president of the senate; (d) A representative of an association of members of local boards of education across the state, to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; (e) A representative of the Colorado employer benefit trust, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; (f) A representative of the Colorado public employees' retirement association, to be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; (g) A representative of the Colorado county officials and employees retirement association, to be appointed by the president of the senate; (h) A representative of a county in the state with one thousand or more employees that self-insures its employees' health care coverage, to be appointed by the governor; (i) A representative of a municipality in the state with one thousand or more employees that self-insures its employees' health care coverage, to be appointed by the governor; (j) A representative of a special district in the state with three hundred or more employees that self-insures its employees' health care coverage, to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; (k) A representative of an institution of higher education in the state that self-insures its employees' health care coverage, to be appointed by the governor; (l) An employee of state government, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and (m) An employee of a local government, to be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives. (4) All appointments to the task force shall be made by June 15, 2012. (5) The task force shall study, make recommendations, and report findings on all matters relating to the group purchase of health care insurance by government employees, including, without limitation, innovative solutions and strategies for leveraging the purchasing power of state and local governments to expand health care coverage for the employees of such governments and their families at the lowest cost to the taxpayer while addressing any impediments to such goals provided by federal or state law. (6) The task force shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the health and environment committee of the house of representatives, the health and human services committee of the senate, and the local government committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or any successor committees, by December 15, 2012. Upon request of a member of the task force, summaries of dissenting opinions shall be prepared and attached to the final report of findings and recommendations. (7) (a) The task force shall meet at least four times, with the first meeting occurring no later than August 1, 2012. (b) Meetings of the task force are public meetings. (8) The task force shall solicit and accept reports and public testimony and may request other sources, including but not limited to the national conference of state legislatures, representatives from state and local government, consumer advocate and other nonprofit organizations, and appropriate trade groups, to provide testimony, written comments, and other relevant data to the task force. (9) (a) Members of the task force shall serve without compensation and shall not be entitled to reimbursement for expenses. (b) Any staff assistance required by the task force shall be performed by existing employees of the department of personnel within existing appropriations. (10) This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2014. SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.