Salem - The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services is seeking applicants to the Network Adequacy Rulemaking Advisory Committee. This advisory committee will play an important role in developing administrative rules to implement House Bill 2468, which granted the department authority to regulate and monitor health insurance company provider networks for plans sold to individuals and small businesses.
"We are seeking thoughtful and collaborative people with relevant knowledge and experience to serve on this committee," said Insurance Commissioner Laura Cali. "We encourage consumers of health care, medical providers, health insurance agents, and health insurance industry professionals with a desire to make a difference in Oregon to apply."
Network adequacy refers to a health insurance company's ability to provide access to health care providers and services to its members. The committee will work closely with department staff from July 2015 to June 2016 to develop administrative rules related to transparency, access to quality care, and other related standards.
For more information about the committee, including the charter, a full set of objectives, the schedule, and how to apply, go to oregon.gov/DCBS/insurance/legal/committees-workgroups/Pages/network-adequacy.aspx.
Applicants to the committee should be prepared to commit to attending monthly meetings in person, and should be able to dedicate time for possible conference calls and email communication in between meetings. Committee members will be asked to commit a significant amount of time to the rulemaking process.
To apply, please submit the following information to [email protected] :
* Name
* Email address
* Telephone number
* Current position and employer or organization represented
* Brief description of your scope of knowledge related to network adequacy
The deadline for applications is Wednesday, June 10, at 5 p.m. Committee member selection will be announced by Wednesday, July 1. Twelve applicants will be selected to serve on the committee, as well as staff members from the Insurance Division and Health Insurance Marketplace. Public comment will play an important role during the rulemaking process and each meeting will have time dedicated to public comment.
The first committee meeting will be on Tuesday, July 7, meetings are then tentatively scheduled to be held on a monthly basis from July 2015 through June 2016. All meetings will be held in the Labor and Industries Building at 350 Winter St. NE in Salem and will also be streamed live via the Internet.
To learn more about HB 2468, visit olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2015R1/Measures/Overview/HB2468.
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The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.dcbs.oregon.gov or followwww.twitter.com/OregonDCBS.
May 21, 2015
