By Zaffirini                                    S.C.R. No. 11

      75R4887 SMC-D                           

                                CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas Health Care Council is a new health care

 1-2     advocacy organization in the State of Texas;  the group is composed

 1-3     of leaders of corporations that manufacture or supply products or

 1-4     services utilized in the delivery of health care, members of the

 1-5     pharmaceutical industry, health care insurers or payors, and

 1-6     leaders of health care organizations and health care providers,

 1-7     including physicians and other health care professionals; and

 1-8           WHEREAS,  Health care issues are of vital interest to all our

 1-9     citizens, and the Texas Health Care Council believes that Texas'

1-10     leadership in medical science and health care innovation must

1-11     continue to grow; and

1-12           WHEREAS, A health care system of the highest quality with an

1-13     emphasis on affordability, availability, accessibility, and

1-14     accountability is the goal of the council; and

1-15           WHEREAS,  The Texas Health Care Council is interested in

1-16     addressing policy issues relating to access to care, barriers to

1-17     managed care, Medicare and Medicaid managed care, medical

1-18     malpractice, standardization of billings and claims, development of

1-19     quality and health outcome measures, quality improvement through

1-20     innovation, capitation issues, restrictive and burdensome

1-21     regulation, insurance market reforms, and community health

1-22     assessment; and

1-23           WHEREAS,  The initial board of directors of the Texas Health

1-24     Care Council are:  J. B. Bowen, Jr. of Abbott Laboratories, Dwight

 2-1     Cobb of Bayer Pharmaceutical, John Coyle of Aetna Health Plans,

 2-2     Nadine Craig of Serle Pharmaceutical, Elmer Ellis of East Texas

 2-3     Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, C. Carlton King of

 2-4     Prudential Health Care Group, Marlon Pittman of Glaxo-Wellcome

 2-5     Pharmaceutical, William D. Poteet III of Columbia Healthcare

 2-6     Corporation, Boone Powell, Jr., of Baylor University Medical

 2-7     Center, J. Walter Simmons, M.D., of Alamo Bone and Joint Clinic,

 2-8     Ronald L. Smith of Harris Methodist Health System, and Michael C.

 2-9     Waters of Hendrick Medical Center; and the council has retained

2-10     Camille D. Miller and Sherry Wilkie as staff of this fine

2-11     organization; and

2-12           WHEREAS,  Strong support and encouragement for the formation

2-13     of the council have come from Terry Townsend of the Texas Hospital

2-14     Association, Geoff Wurzel of the Texas HMO Association, and the

2-15     National Healthcare Leadership Council in Washington, D.C.; now,

2-16     therefore, be it

2-17           RESOLVED,  That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

2-18     hereby congratulate and commend the leadership of these individuals

2-19     and welcome this new advocacy organization, the Texas Health Care

2-20     Council, in their endeavor to provide input, recommendations,

2-21     innovations, ideas, and solutions regarding problems and issues

2-22     that arise in the development of health care policy in Texas; and,

2-23     be it further

2-24           RESOLVED,  That the Texas Health Care Council  be encouraged

2-25     to provide written and oral public testimony regarding legislative

2-26     health care policy and to contribute input to appropriate state

2-27     boards, state agencies, and state institutions that are

 3-1     establishing and implementing health care policy in the State of

 3-2     Texas; and, be it further

 3-3           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

 3-4     copy of this resolution to the board of directors of the Texas

 3-5     Health Care Council as a token of high regard by the Texas House of

 3-6     Representatives and Senate.