SustiNet bill passes the House

The SustiNet bill, HB-6600, overwhelmingly passed the House last night 107 to 35. The bill creates a volunteer SustiNet Board of Directors to design and develop concrete steps to achieve health care reform including affordable coverage options for everyone, improving the health care delivery system, addressing chronic disease and significant prevention and wellness programs and report to the legislature by July 1, 2012. The Board includes a primary care physician, a nurse, a health policy expert or health economist, labor, a small business insurer, a health information technology expert and an actuary or insurance underwriter. The Board will be chaired by the Comptroller and the Health Care Advocate. The Board will make recommendations to the legislature to capitalize on national health care reform. The fiscal note did not identify any costs in the next two years. SustiNet is estimated to save $1.75 billion for individuals and businesses by 2014, averaging $875 per person.