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.