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2006 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4
Directing the Joint Commission on Health Care to study the derivative effects of increases in health care costs on health insurance premiums. Report.
 
Agreed to by the Senate, February 8, 2006
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 6, 2006
 

WHEREAS, premiums for employee-sponsored health insurance in the United States have been rising on average five times faster than workers' earnings since 2000; and

WHEREAS, employee spending for health insurance coverage has increased by 126 percent between 2000 and 2004; and

WHEREAS, retail prescription prices have increased an average of 7.4 percent a year from 1993 to 2003; and

WHEREAS, health care spending is rising at the fastest rate in our country's history and is expected to continue rising in the near future; and

WHEREAS, dramatic increases in health care costs lead to higher insurance premiums that make health insurance unaffordable to many Virginians; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Joint Commission on Health Care be directed to study the derivative effects of increases in health care costs on health insurance premiums.

In conducting its study, the Joint Commission on Health Care shall examine (i) the factors leading to rising health care costs in the Commonwealth, (ii) the derivative effects of rising health care costs including increases in health insurance premiums and denial of coverage, and (iii) ways to reduce health care costs in the Commonwealth and alleviate the burdens associated with the rising cost of health care.

Technical assistance shall be provided to the Joint Commission on Health Care by the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s Bureau of Insurance. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Joint Commission on Health Care for this study, upon request.

The Joint Commission on Health Care shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2006, and the chairman of the Joint Commission on Health Care shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2007 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the Joint Commission on Health Care intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.