Hospital Study Commission
Minority
Report
Membership
Representing Employers
William Haggett, Chair, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Naturally Potatoes
Representing Hospitals
Scott Bullock, CEO MaineGeneral Medical Center
John Welsh, CEO, Rumford Hospital
Representing Physicians
Dr. Joshua Cutler, Maine Cardiology Associates
Dr. Richard Wexler, Medical Director, Medical Care Development
Representing Consumers
Joseph Ditre, Executive Director, Consumers for Affordable Health Care
Foundation
Representing Insurers
Robert Downs, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
An Economist
Kit St. John, Executive Director, Maine Center for Economic Policy
An Expert in Public Health
Pat Philbrook, RN, Executive Director, Maine State Nurses Association
Key Charges
- To study the comprehensive role of Maine's hospitals and evaluate
in the context of the state health plan priorities;
- To collect and evaluate data on overall hospital expenditures, cost
efficiencies, the availability of health care services; and
- To determine opportunities/public policies to advance changes in
hospital roles, to encourage collaboration, and to improve affordability.
Important Dates
- Report with recommendations and legislation must be submitted by
November 1, 2004.
Legislative Charge
The Commission to Study Maine's Community Hospitals is established for
the following purposes:
A. To study the roles of community hospitals in the 21st century, including
services provided, primary care, medical centers, rural hospitals, teaching
hospitals, public health, prevention and education services, relationships
with other health care providers, physician recruitment, physician training,
and continuing care and to evaluate those roles based on the priorities
in the State Health Plan;
B. To study the economic impact of hospitals on the state and local
economies;
C. To study funding mechanisms and levels, methods of reimbursement,
the role of insurance and 3rd-party payers and the effect of unreimbursed
care;
D. To study facility and equipment needs, financing options and capital
needs;
E. To study opportunities for hospitals to cooperate through:
- Adopting common technologies, record sharing systems and quality
control techniques;
- Purchasing common services, supplies and pharmaceuticals and selecting
and servicing equipment;
- Recruiting and training staff;
- Managing malpractice, workers' compensation, health care and casualty
risks; and
- Planning, designing and constructing capital improvements.
F. To explore public policy regarding community hospitals, including
incentives and barriers to change, access to health care for consumers
and the challenges of making transitions to new community roles;
G. To collect and evaluate data regarding statewide hospital expenditures
to assess cost efficiencies, cost effectiveness and overall affordability
of available health care services while preserving geographic access
to care; and
H. To make recommendations regarding public policy initiatives to better
define the roles of the community hospitals and to strengthen the hospitals
and equip them to serve the residents of the State through the 21st
century.
The commission shall consider the challenges of community hospitals
and must be guided by the purposes outlined in subsection 1. The commission
may:
A. Hold at least 2 public hearings to collect information from individuals,
hospitals, health care providers, insurers, 3rd-party payers, government-sponsored
health care programs and interested organizations;
B. Consult with experts in the fields of health care and hospitals and
public policy; and
C. Examine any other issues to further the purposes of the study.
The commission shall submit a report and any suggested legislation
to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction
over health and human services matters and the joint standing committee
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over insurance and financial
services matters no later than November 1, 2004.
