Okla. Stat. tit. 36, § 36-6057.5

members – Meetings – Reimbursement of travel expenses –

Recommendations and report.

A. There is hereby created to continue until February 1, 2006,

the Surgical Patient Choice Task Force.

1. The Task Force shall consist of ten (10) members.

2. Of the ten members:

a. three shall be appointed by the Speaker of the

Oklahoma House of Representatives as follows:

(1) one shall be a representative of a health insurer

which owns or operates a statewide provider

network,

(2) one shall represent a specialty hospital, and

(3) one shall be a member of the Oklahoma House of

Representatives and shall serve as cochair,

b. three shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore

of the State Senate as follows:

(1) one shall represent an ambulatory surgical

center,

(2) one shall represent a statewide hospital

association, and

(3) one shall be a member of the State Senate and

shall serve as cochair,

c. two shall be appointed by the Governor as follows:

(1) one shall be a representative of a full-service

community hospital located in a community with a

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 36. Insurance Page 1077

population of over three hundred thousand

(300,000), and

(2) one shall represent a hospital located in a rural

area, and

d. two shall be public sector representatives or their

designees as follows:

(1) the Commissioner of the State Department of

Health, and

(2) the Insurance Commissioner.

B. 1. Appointed members of the Task Force shall serve at the

pleasure of their appointing authority.

2. A vacancy on the Task Force shall be filled by the original

appointing authority.

3. Appointments to the Task Force shall be made by August 1,

2005.

C. 1. A majority of the members present at a meeting shall

constitute a quorum to do business.

2. The cochairs of the Task Force shall convene the first

meeting of the Task Force on or before September 1, 2005, at which

time a schedule of the meetings shall be determined.

3. The Oklahoma Insurance Department shall provide staff

support for the Task Force.

D. The Task Force may divide into subcommittees in furtherance

of its purposes.

E. Members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation but

shall be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses incurred in the

performance of their duties pursuant to the provisions of the State

Travel Reimbursement Act as follows:

1. Legislative members of the Task Force shall be reimbursed in

accordance with the provisions of Section 456 of Title 74 of the

Oklahoma Statutes; and

2. Nonlegislative members of the Task Force shall be reimbursed

by their appointing authorities.

F. The purpose of the Task Force shall be to make

recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor regarding ways

to improve patient access to rural hospitals, specialty hospitals

and ambulatory surgical centers by:

1. Studying the issue of the exclusion of hospitals including

specialty hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers from health

insurance plans when those facilities are willing to meet the terms

of a contract set forth and offered to similar providers by health

insurance companies;

2. Determining whether a need exists to expand opportunities

for hospitals to participate in health insurance provider networks;

3. Determining if patients have the ability to choose among and

between all geographically relevant providers which meet

requirements set by insurance companies;

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 36. Insurance Page 1078

4. Determining if providers as defined in this act who are not

allowed to participate in provider networks are denied participation

based on issues related to patient safety, sound economic policies,

and the practice of medicine;

5. Making recommendations as to the role of the State Insurance

Commission and the State Department of Health in establishing a

system of appeal when a hospital, specialty hospital, or ambulatory

surgical center, is denied participation in a provider network; and
etworks are denied participation

based on issues related to patient safety, sound economic policies,

and the practice of medicine;

5. Making recommendations as to the role of the State Insurance

Commission and the State Department of Health in establishing a

system of appeal when a hospital, specialty hospital, or ambulatory

surgical center, is denied participation in a provider network; and

6. Identifying other issues deemed appropriate by the Task

Force.

G. The Task Force shall issue a report of its recommendations

to the Legislature and Governor no later than January 1, 2006.