** REVISION **
SENATE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
COMMITTEE:
State Affairs
TIME & DATE:
9:00 AM, Wednesday, May 21, 2008
PLACE:
Senate Chamber
CHAIR:
Senator Robert Duncan
The Senate Committee on State Affairs will hold an Interim hearing on
Wednesday, May 21st, 9:00 a.m., in the Senate Chamber.
 
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony relating to Interim
Charge No. 1:  Study the factors that impact the transparency and
efficiency of the health insurance market.  Make recommendation to result
in the use of best practices, lower health care costs, and better health
outcomes, including the following:  Study factors contributing to the
increasing cost of health care;  Study insurer and health maintenance
organization (HMO) use of tiers, ratings or classifications to
differentiate among credentialed physicians already admitted to the
insurer or HMO panel of preferred providers or network;
Examine methods to remediate incorrect tiering, ratings, or
classifications;  Examine how physicians are notified of the standards
against which they will be compared and whether they are notified of the
standards prior to the evaluation period; and Improve transparency with
respect to the marketing of prescription drugs.
 
The Committee will also hear invited and public testimony relating to
Interim Charge No. 5:  Review and make recommendations for requiring
insurance coverage of routine medical care for patients with a life
threatening disease or condition who have elected to participate in a
clinical trial.
** See Committee Coordinator for previous versions of the schedule **