Future of the Health System Reform Task Force Unknown

Nov 03, 2008 by KCPW

(KCPW News) The legislature's Health System Reform Task Force will disband at the end of November under House Bill 133. Co-chair Representative David Clark says he's not sure if the task force will be reinstated or what group would take over its duties.

"Health System Reform is going to continue in this state and over the next thirty to sixty days we'll decide exactly whether we continue in the format that we have been doing with the task force, the working groups, which I think has been very productive, we have covered a lot of ground this year. We have miles and miles to go still," Clark said.

Clark says health care could take at least a decade to repair, but he feels that the task force has accomplished a lot in its first year. He says it has addressed several parts of the health care reform process.

"The things that have been done with the health system task force have been positive and good, but we are too slow in the process. We need to speed this up. Now, having said that I think this needs to be measured and deliberate, we don't want to create a problem, so it doesn't take a deliberative process, but there is a sense of urgency. We just need to have a more robust effort I think from all the groups in this process," Clark said.

The task force plans to recommend 8 to 12 bills before it disbands. Those bills will be introduced before the January session.

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