HEALTH CARE COST CONTAINMENT COUNCIL Mandated Benefits [28 Pa.B. 3857] Section 9 of Act 34 of 1993 requires that the Health Care Cost Containment Council (Council) review existing or proposed mandated health benefits on request of the executive and legislative branches of government. The Council has been requested by Senator Edwin G. Holl, Chairperson of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, to review Senate Bill 1198, Printers Number 1487 (Afflerbach), providing for reimbursement for routine patient care costs when an insured, enrollee, or subscriber participates in approved cancer clinical trials.
Initial notification of request for information and documentation was published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on May 23, 1998, with documentation due to the Council by July 23, 1998.
Following is a list of the documentation received. This information is available for public review and comment at the Council offices during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) until August 28, 1998. Any additional comments on this information must be received by this time. Council offices are located at: 225 Market Street, Suite 400, Harrisburg, PA 17101. Send comments (six copies) to Flossie Wolf at this address.
Submissions for SB 1198 1. The Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania (John R. Doubman, Secretary & Counsel)
* Statement addressing Section 9 requirements and opposing Senate Bill 1198.
* Copy of the Federation's submissions opposing Senate Bill 1334 from the legislative session of 1995.
* Attachments addressing institutional review boards.
2. Managed Care Association of Pennsylvania (Kimberly J. Kockler, Executive Director)
* Statement addressing Section 9 requirements and opposing Senate Bill 1198.
* Attachments discussing cancer deaths, clinical trials, clinical research, institutional review boards, and legislation from other states.
3. Highmark (Bruce R. Hironimus, Vice President of Government Affairs)
* Statement addressing Section 9 requirements and opposing Senate Bill 1198.
* Attachments discussing cancer statistics, health insurance trends, projected costs of mandates, investigational treatments, cancer clinical trials, cancer care, and health care costs.
4. Dr. John H. Glick (Director of the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center), Dr. Ronald B. Herberman (Director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute), and Dr. Robert C. Young (Director of the Fox Chase Cancer Center)
* Letter in support of Senate Bill 1198 (referencing documentation submitted in April, 1996, and June, 1996).
5. Rohm and Haas Company (Lois C. Morris, Manager, Health Care & Disability Programs)
* Letter opposing health care mandates including those proposed in Senate Bill 1198.
6. Independence Blue Cross (Mary Ellen McMillen, Vice President, Legislative Affairs)
* Letter opposing mandates in general, including information regarding health insurance trends.
7. AFLAC--The American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (Richard J. Gmerek and Elvira O. Guida of the Law Offices of Maley, Williamson, Hayden & Gmerek)
* Statement addressing Senate Bill 1198 and requesting exemptions for certain types of supplemental policies.
MARC P. VOLAVKA,
Executive Director[Pa.B. Doc. No. 98-1289. Filed for public inspection August 7, 1998, 9:00 a.m.]
