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 19980H0498R3795 - 2 -
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. H5L82BIL/19980H0498R3795 - 3 -