It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows

RESOLVED, That, in order to improve and promote accessible and affordable health care for all Rhode Islanders, to create a better environment for management and to insure the successful implementation of RIte Care, there is hereby created the RIte Care Oversight Commission, whose purpose shall be to examine and make recommendations concerning any and all issues related to RIte Care Act.

Section 1. Composition. -- The commission shall be composed of nine (9) members, with five (5) members to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, two (2) of whom shall be appointed from the house committee on health, education and welfare, and two (2) of whom shall be appointed from the house committee on finance and one (1) of whom shall be from the minority party. Four (4) members shall be appointed by the majority leader of the senate, two (2) of whom shall be appointed from the senate committee on health, education and welfare, and one (1) of whom shall be appointed from the senate finance committee and one (1) of whom shall be from the minority party.

Section 2. Officers -- Powers. -- (a) The commission shall elect from its membership a chair, a vice chair and such other officers as it considers necessary.

(b) The commission may also:

(1) Create subcommittees related to its purpose;

(2) Create an advisory panel composed of representatives including, but not limited to, business, insurance, hospitals, physicians and consumers;

(3) Conduct hearings;

(4) Perform such other duties as are required.

Section 3. Meetings. -- The commission shall meet at least quarterly and at the call of the chair. The first meeting of the committee shall be convened by the majority leader of the senate.

Section 4. Legislative intent -- Duties of commission -- Review of expenditures. -- (a) It is the intent of this resolution that plans be made carefully and be reviewed thoroughly to help ensure that the RIte Care program will achieve its intended purpose, to help ensure that access and quality of health care are maintained for RIte Care enrolless and to help ensure that the general assembly and the public can have confidence that the state will deliver a RIte Care program which is effective and efficient.

(b) To these ends, the commission shall review proposed expenditures for RIte Care and shall make its comments on proposed expenditures in a timely fashion according to this resolution.

Section 5. Assistance from other agencies. -- The commission shall receive information and assistance from the department of health, the department of mental health and mental retardation and other agencies of state government, as necessary.

Section 6. Scope of commissions oversight. -- The commission shall review regularly the following programs, functions and activities of the department of health and RIte Care program:

(1) Eligibility and enrollment standards, including determinations of how RIte Care enrollees are assigned to MCO's, HMO's or other matters related to eligibility and assignment of RIte Care enrollees;

(2) Provisions of services, facilities or programs by RIte Care providers, including RIte Care's standard benefit package or other related matters;

(3) Education programs for RIte Care enrollees, MCO's, HMO's and providers, including eligibility, access to RIte Care providers and MCO's and HMO's benefit package's offered, deductibles and copayments required or other related matters;

(4) Review and valuation of performance of RIte Care MCO's and HMO's, including their compliance with contracts entered into with the state, review of MCO and HMO contracts entered into with any RIte Care provider or other related matters;

(5) Compliance by the department with provisions of the RIte Care federal waiver, including review of proposed amendments to the waiver for system changes, and evaluations or reports prepared for or by the federal government, or other related matters;

(6) Staffing within the department, including recruitment, selection, training, compensation, discipline or other matters;

(7) Management, including planning, budgeting, information systems, organizational structure, rules and regulations, department policies and procedures or other related matters; and

(8) Review and evaluation of any contracts with the state to carry out the provisions of RIte Care.

(9) Any other matters considered material.

RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the general assembly on or before June 4, 1998 and the commission shall expire on August 4, 1998.