Two-Month Report, Vol. 17
From: Dixie Roberts, Chairman
For Period: Dec. 1, 2005 – Jan. 31, 2006
To: Governor Dave Freudenthal
Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Committee
Senator Charles Scott, Chairman
Representative Doug Osborn, Chairman
Items attached to report:
- January Wyoming Healthcare Commission meeting agenda
- January Wyoming Healthcare Commission meeting minutes
- Wyoming Health Information Organization Powerpoint Presentation
- Health Professions Tracking Powerpoint Presentation
Activities:
Resignations
Commission Chairman T. Chris Muirhead, Director Anne Ladd and Commissioner George Bryce resigned effective in December. Commission Assistant Director Emily Genoff resigned in January to be effective February 19.
Appointments
Commissioner Dixie Roberts was named to succeed Mr. Muirhead as Chairman. Rex Arney of Sheridan, Rod Barton of Powell, and Barbara Cohee and Barb Rea of Casper were named to the Commission and attended their first meeting in January. The Executive Director and Assistant Executive Director will not be named until the end of March.
Ongoing work
Orientation of New Commission Members
Full orientation was provided to the new Commission members covering the present scope of work, pending legislation, Commission operating procedures, the budget through June 30, 2006, and the proposed budget for the biennium.
HealthProfessionsTrackingCenter Study
The University of Nebraska Medical Center Health Professions Tracking Center is conducting a survey of physicians and allied health professionals licensed to practice in Wyoming to determine the distribution and availability of licensed medical professionals to consumers. The study was launched in November and preliminary findings were released from the physician survey in January (see attached Powerpoint slides).
Advance Directives Registry
An RFP was drafted to create and launch an advance directives registry that would enable people with living wills and related documents to list themselves in a repository accessible to medical professionals in need of proof of patients’ wishes. The RFP and concept of the registry is being reviewed by the Commission.
Medical Errors and Patient Safety
Contracts were completed to further the study for a pilot Administrative Compensation System. Preliminary work is being done to analyze the scope of the work and the priorities.
Insuring the Uninsured and Reducing Costs
Chairman Roberts met with Dr. Hank Gardner and Dr. Brian Klepper to determine effective ways to analyze available health care coverage-related data, create transparencies, and design affordable benefit plans. Discussions were initiated with the insurance carriers and associations for their input in this endeavor. The Commission reviewed the studies and work completed to date in this area, and other states’ initiatives.
Nursing Study
Tom Gallagher, Department of Employment, presented options for studying nursing workforce shortage issues in Wyoming, and made suggestions for the depth of the study to the full Commission on January 30, 2006.
Review of Proposed Work in Reauthorization and Proposed Legislation
The Commission staff is tracking pending legislation that could have an impact on the WHCC and the group’s work flow.
Wyoming Health Information Organization
The Wyoming Health Information Organization (WyHIO), an entity created to build the state’s health information technology infrastructure with state, federal and private funds, became a wholly independent nonprofit corporation in January. Articles of Incorporation have been filed with the Wyoming Secretary of State’s office, a 501 c 3 application was turned in to the Internal Revenue Service, bylaws were completed and grant applications for support staff and technical guidance were submitted. The Healthcare Commission provided limited staff support; Commissioner Carol Jenkins is a voting ex-officio member of the WyHIO Board of Directors. The WyHIO is described and funded in Senate File 50 (see attached Powerpoint slides)
Presentations
Presentations were made to the Joint Appropriations Committee by Chairman Roberts in person and in writing, detailing the Commission’s budget for the 2007-08 biennium. The Commission’s budget was removed from the Governor’s budget and attached to Senate File 48, the reauthorization legislation extending the Commission’s sunset date and providing for its budget through 2009.
Commission meetings
The Commission did not meet in December. At its well-attended January 31, 2006, meeting in Casper, the Commission decided upon a preliminary set of topics for research in the next six months:
- Healthcare coverage cost and accessibility for the uninsured
- Health care cost containment tools
- consumer report cards
- total health management
- Health care delivery system planning
The Commission sunsets in July 2006, unless Senate File 48 passes. The Commission has an operating budget for the first half of 2006 that will permit analysis of its chosen topics. Contracts are in place enabling the Commission to tap expertise from a variety of state and national experts in health benefits and healthcare coverage.
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