Brief ⁽¹⁾

Sub. for SB 544 amends two of the statutes in the act under which health data is collected and the Health Care Data Governing Board is created and operates.

The first amendment adds to the statement of the intent of the Legislature in KSA 1999 Supp. 65-6801. The new language directs the Secretary of the Department of Health and Environment, at the direction of the Health Care Data Governing Board, to specify by rules and regulations the types of health-related information that is to be submitted and the method of such submission.

The second amendment authorizes the Secretary to accept data submitted by associations of health-related organizations on behalf of health care providers by negotiating binding agreements with such associations to obtain data required by the statute that is amended.

Background

SB 544 was introduced to give the Health Care Data Governing Board clear authority to collect data on health services utilization from providers of health care. The type of data currently not available is that which provides information on morbidity (illness and disease) in the Kansas population. Such data is generally available only through private sector providers. The bill was developed by the Health Care Data Governing Board.

Testimony supporting the bill was provided by Governing Board staff from the Department of Health and Environment; a member of the Governing Board who is also Associate Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of Kansas; representatives of the Kansas Hospital Association, the Kansas Medical Society, and the Kansas State Nurses Association, all of which are represented on the Governing Board; and a representative of the Kansas Public Health Association. A presentation on the type of research that has been done on recurring assaultive injury from Missouri data was given the Committee to illustrate the type of study that could not currently be replicated in Kansas because Kansas does not have access to data about specific health conditions that are treated in the private sector. Written testimony supporting the bill was submitted on behalf of the Kansas Health Institute. Comments were offered by a representative of the Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine. No one appeared in opposition to the bill.

The fiscal note on the original SB 544 indicates no fiscal effect would result from the passage of the bill. The current fee funding and Department staff is sufficient to implement the provisions of the bill.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html