HJ165: Aging; joint subcommittee to study reducing cost of caring for population in State.

WHEREAS, according to The Commonwealth Fund Survey of Older Adults (2006), per capita health care expenditures of "baby boomers" are more than twice those of younger adults; and

WHEREAS, the incidence of chronic conditions increases dramatically with age, placing older adults at greater risk of incurring high medical costs than younger adults; and

WHEREAS, many working older adults have unstable health insurance coverage; and

WHEREAS, by the year 2030, the baby boomers will be ages 66 — 84 and make up about 20 percent of the total population; and

WHEREAS, the cost of caring for this aging population without adequate health insurance coverage will fall largely to the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study reducing the cost of caring for the aging population of the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 15 members that shall consist of 10 legislative members, four nonlegislative citizen members, and one ex officio member. Members shall be appointed as follows:  six members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; four members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; two nonlegislative citizen members, one of whom shall be an employee of the Department of Medical Assistance Services and one of whom shall be an employee of the Department for the Aging, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates upon consideration of the recommendation of the Governor, if any; and two nonlegislative citizen members, one of whom shall be an employee of the Department of Social Services to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules upon consideration of the recommendation of the Governor, if any, and one of whom shall be a representative of AARP, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources or her designee shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the joint subcommittee shall be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk, nonlegislative citizen members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall examine alternatives to nursing home care, including adult day care; evaluate cost containment efforts in other states; and seek the input of other interested parties, including both private and nonprofit entities who work with the aging population, in seeking cost containment strategies.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2008 interim and four meetings for the 2009 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $10,400 for each year without approval as set out in this resolution. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk.  If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the House members or a majority of the Senate members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2008, and for the second year by November 30, 2009, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year. Each executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summaries and reports shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2008 or 2009 interim.