§ 23-81-4 - Powers of the health care planning and accountability advisory council.
SECTION 23-81-4
§ 23-81-4 Powers of the health careplanning and accountability advisory council. – Powers of the council shall include, but not be limited to the following:
(a) The authority to develop and promote studies, advisoryopinions and a unified health plan on the state's health care delivery andfinancing system, including but not limited to:
(1) Ongoing assessments of the state's health care needs andhealth care system capacity that are used to determine the most appropriatecapacity of and allocation of health care providers, services, and equipmentand other resources, to meet Rhode Island's health care needs efficiently andaffordably. These assessments shall be used to advise the "determination ofneed for new health care equipment and new institutional health services" or"certificate of need" process through the health services council;
(2) The establishment of Rhode Island's long range healthcare goals and values, and the recommendation of innovative models of healthcare delivery, that should be encouraged in Rhode Island;
(3) Health care payment models that reward improved healthoutcomes;
(4) Measurements of quality and appropriate use of healthcare services that are designed to evaluate the impact of the health planningprocess;
(5) Plans for promoting the appropriate role of technology inimproving the availability of health information across the health care system,while promoting practices that ensure the confidentiality and security ofhealth records; and
(6) Recommendations of legislation and other actions thatachieve accountability and adherence in the health care community to thecouncil's plans and recommendations.
(b) Convene meetings of the council no less than every sixty(60) days, which shall be subject to the open meetings laws and public recordslaws of the state, and shall include a process for the public to place items onthe council's agenda.
(c) Appoint advisory committees as needed for technicalassistance throughout the process.
(d) Modify recommendations in order to reflect changinghealth care systems needs.
(e) Promote responsiveness to recommendations among all stateagencies that provide health service programs, not limited to the five (5)state agencies coordinated by the executive office of the health and humanservices.
(f) Coordinate the review of existing data sources from stateagencies and the private sector that are useful to developing a unified healthplan.
(g) Formulating, testing, and selecting policies andstandards that will achieve desired objectives.
(h) Provide an annual report, to begin one year after theconvening of the council, to the governor and general assembly onimplementation of the plan adopted by the council. This annual report shall:
(1) Present the strategic recommendations, updated annually;
(2) Assess the implementation of strategic recommendations inthe health care market;
(3) Compare and analyze the difference between the guidanceand the reality;
(4) Recommend to the governor and general assemblylegislative or regulatory revisions necessary to achieve the long term goalsand values adopted by the council as part of its strategic recommendations, andassess the powers needed by the council or governmental entities of the statedeemed necessary and appropriate to carry out the responsibilities of thecouncil.
(5) Include the request for a hearing before the appropriatecommittees of the general assembly.
(6) Include a response letter from each state agency that isaffected by the state health plan describing the actions taken and planned toimplement the plans recommendations.