Senate Bill No. 289–Senator Neal

 

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AN ACT relating to health care; directing the Legislative Committee on Health Care to study the current challenges of ensuring that adequate health care is available to all of the residents of Nevada, now and in the future; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

    Section 1. 1.  The Legislative Committee on Health Care

 shall conduct an interim study of the current challenges of ensuring

 that adequate health care is available to all of the residents of

 Nevada, now and in the future. The study must include a search for

 innovative ways to expand the availability of health care in Nevada,

 including a determination of the feasibility of a single-payer health

 care system, the expansion of coverage for persons who are

 employed but are not able to find affordable health insurance and

 the expansion of the Medicaid program.

    2.  The Legislative Committee on Health Care shall appoint:

    (a) A subcommittee for the study, consisting of members of the

 Legislative Committee on Health Care, Legislators other than

 members of the Legislative Committee on Health Care, or any

 combination thereof; and

    (b) A chairman of the subcommittee from among the members

 of the subcommittee.

    3.  The study must include, without limitation:

    (a) An examination of the unique characteristics of the health

 care market in the State of Nevada that may contribute to the

 increasing costs of health insurance and health care services in this

 state;

    (b) An examination of the future health care needs of the

 residents of Nevada, including the need for providers of health care,

 medical facilities, medical equipment and other medical services;

 and

    (c) A search for ways to expand health care coverage for all

 residents of Nevada, including:

        (1) The feasibility of establishing a State Health Authority to

 coordinate a single-payer system in the State of Nevada, including a

 review of the different forms of single-payer systems implemented

 or contemplated by other states, such as employer mandates, “play

 or pay,” tax incentives and state purchasing plans;

        (2) An examination of the number and distribution of

 uninsured residents of this state, including a review of the

 demographics of persons who are employed but are not able to find

affordable health insurance, and a determination of the feasibility of

expanding employment-based health insurance in Nevada;

        (3) An examination of changes that have occurred in the

 affordability of health insurance policies for persons residing in

 Nevada, including a review of the increases in cost-sharing among

 health insurance plans; and

        (4) An examination of the feasibility of expanding state

-sponsored health insurance, including an expansion of Medicaid

 eligibility for those who fall just outside of the requirements for

 eligibility and the option of expanding Medicaid to cover all

 optional services.

    4.  The Legislative Committee on Health Care shall submit a

 report of the results of the study and any recommendations for

 legislation to the 73rd Session of the Nevada Legislature.

    Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2003.

 

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