PRINTER'S NO. 3795
No. 498 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY WALKO, THOMAS, WOJNAROSKI, GEORGE, COLAFELLA,
OLASZ, GIGLIOTTI, LAUGHLIN, BEBKO-JONES, BELFANTI, McCALL,
SHANER, READSHAW, DeWEESE, CASORIO AND JAMES, AUGUST 10, 1998
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, AUGUST 10, 1998
A RESOLUTION
1 Establishing a committee for the sole purpose of investigating
2 and making recommendations to assess and approve the
3 financial condition of newly created or expanded health care
4 systems in this Commonwealth prior to approval.
5 WHEREAS, Quality health care is essential to preserving the
6 public well-being in this Commonwealth; and
7 WHEREAS, Tens of thousands of residents of this Commonwealth
8 are employed in the health care field; and
9 WHEREAS, The protection of these tens of thousands of
10 important family-sustaining jobs is absolutely essential to
11 sustaining the economic and social vitality of this
12 Commonwealth; and
13 WHEREAS, Quality health care and family-sustaining jobs in
14 this Commonwealth are imperiled by the financial instability of
15 health care systems; and
16 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has witnessed the merging of
17 numerous health care systems over the past few years; and
18 WHEREAS, The widespread increase in managed care enrollment
1 in Pennsylvania has applied additional financial pressure to the
2 health care industry; and
3 WHEREAS, The seemingly uncontrollable increase in
4 uncompensated health care as exacerbated by recent cuts in
5 medical assistance for the working poor and other Pennsylvanians
6 has placed undue fiscal stress on health care systems throughout
7 this Commonwealth; and
8 WHEREAS, Assuring the financial soundness of existing health
9 systems in Pennsylvania is a fundamental economic necessity; and
10 WHEREAS, There currently is no mechanism to investigate the
11 economic impact of such recent occurrences as the financial
12 composition and solvency of newly created or enlarged health
13 care systems, the impact of increased managed care enrollment
14 and the growth of uncompensated health care; therefore be it
15 RESOLVED, That a committee be selected by the Speaker of the
16 House of Representatives for the purpose of studying and making
17 recommendations to assess and approve the financial structure
18 and condition of newly created or expanded health care systems
19 in this Commonwealth; and be it further
20 RESOLVED, That the committee study the impact of the
21 increased managed care enrollment on the entire health care
22 industry; and be it further
23 RESOLVED, That the committee investigate the impact
24 uncompensated health care has on the financial security of the
25 health care industry; and be it further
26 RESOLVED, That the committee may hold hearings, take
27 testimony and make its investigations at such places as it deems
28 necessary in this Commonwealth. It may issue subpoenas under the
29 hand and seal of its chairman commanding any person to appear
30 before the committee and to answer questions touching matters
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1 properly being inquired into by the committee and to produce
2 such books, papers, records and documents as the committee deems
3 necessary. The subpoenas may be served upon any person and shall
4 have the same effect as subpoenas issued out of the courts of
5 this Commonwealth. Any person who willfully neglects or refuses
6 to testify before the committee or to produce any books, papers,
7 records or documents shall be subject to the penalties provided
8 by the laws of this Commonwealth in such cases. Each member of
9 the committee shall have power to administer oaths and
10 affirmations to witnesses appearing before the committee; and be
11 it further
12 RESOLVED, That the committee make its final report to the
13 House of Representatives no later than October 31, 1998.
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