Oct 28th 2004

Executive Committee Of The Emergency Response Commission on the Health Care Crisis

Meeting
Oct 28th 2004

The Executive Committee met to begin the process of prioritizing actions to respond to our charges of:
• Reducing cost for health care
• Improving Access
• Improving Quality

Lt. Governor Baxley made it clear that for any legislation to pass their needed to be a buy in by both legislators and their constituents. She pointed out how important the created liaison with the Business Leadership of Alabama (BCA) and the Chambers of Commerce as a critical first step. She was pleased that 2 out of six regional meetings with these groups had occurred and that the other 4 were scheduled.

Senator President Pro Tempore Lowell Barron praised the commission for its excellent work over the first 4 months of its term. He repeated that success would be measured by successful implementation of 2-5 actions. These actions be either educational or legislative

Fred Burg reported on two successful Chamber/BCA meetings in Dothan and Mobile on Oct 26th with about 40 participants. Each had rated 17 actions from 6 committees of the Commission. He also reported that Don Williamson on behalf of the Manpower Committee had decided to hold off on meeting until they held hearings. The Dean’s of all Health Schools would be invited to outline their vision in regard to the Health Care Manpower Crisis. These meetings would be held in January 05’.


The Executive Committee then reviewed the top recommendations from the 6 committees; each chair and the Commission Officers selecting the top 8. The following top 8 were chosen. These will be presented on December 2, 2004 for vote by the commission as a whole. There will be an opportunity for other recommendations to be presented from the floor by commissioners.

I. Prevention -
1. Child Restraint Systems – Legislation. Increase properly installed child passenger safety seats and their use in motor vehicles to 100% through legislation and public education.
6. EPI Cards -Strive to have 50% of children, their families, and the elderly in Alabama obtain EPI cards by 2006– Education
7. Cell Phone Usage Create legislation to restrict 16 and 17 year-old drivers from using cell phones while operating a vehicle – Legislation

II. Treatment
2. Statewide Trauma System- Legislation The State is urged to adopt a statewide trauma system that is based on established clinical criteria
3. Reverse the ominous trend of the growing obesity problem among Alabama residents through extraordinary educational efforts focused on proper nutrition and physical activity.-Education
• Support State Dept. of Education efforts in physical fitness and
nutrition - Education
• Involve BCA and Chambers of Commerce in workplace fitness
and nutrition - Education
• Support AINEP (Alabama Integrated Nutrition Education Partnership) Programs – Education

III. Insurance
4. Increase Access to Primary Care for Children . Chambers of Commerce support for Alabama Child Caring and provision of health insurance - Education
• Foundation to provide dollar-for-dollar match by Blue Cross with goal of covering more 5000 children in next 2 years.
5. Development of dedicated, protected, adequate, stable, and recurring state revenue sources for funding of Alabama Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program(SCHIP) - Legislation
• In October of 2005 the State of Alabama will face a severe funding crisis for Medicaid, with a 160 million dollar shortfall. We are requesting additional recurring funding of $160 million dollars for this critical program.

IV. Malpractice

8. Controlling Malpractice Costs (Legislation)
• In relation to medical malpractice lawsuits, legislation would be created to specify what compensatory damages and what punitive damages would entail and where that money would be allocated.


As I mentioned at the meeting, we are in the process of implementing a “Higher Education Consortium”. Although this recommendation did not receive any votes, I am recommending approval from the commission to proceed. We have commitments from the following institutions:

The University of Alabama
The University of Alabama in Birmingham
The University of Alabama in Huntsville
The University of South Alabama
Auburn University
Tuskegee University

Please let me know your thoughts/comments.

 

FDB/cmc
Fredric D. Burg MD
Chair Emergency Response Commission Health Care Crisis
State of Alabama
Professor of Pediatrics, UAB
Adjunct Professor of Nursing UAH
Tel #256-824-4293
E-Mail burgf@email.uah.edu
Suite 347 Shelbie King Hall
Huntsville Al. 35899
www.gethealthyalabama.com

Fax 256-824-6462

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