SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 2079

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Background: In 2007 legislation was enacted to implement the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Costs and Access. As part of this legislation, the Office of Financial Management (OFM) must coordinate a state health planning process and develop a statewide health resources strategy, which must include a health system assessment and objectives component; a health care facilities and services plan that assesses the demand for health care facilities and services; a health care data resource plan; an assessment of emerging trends in health care delivery and technology; and a rural health resource plan.

The initial strategy is due to the Governor and the Legislature by January 1, 2010, and must be updated every two years thereafter. The Department of Health (DOH) must use the statewide health resources strategy to direct its certificate of need activities.

To support its planning activities, OFM must maintain access to de-identified data collected and stored by any public or private organization, including state-purchased health care program data, hospital discharge data, private efforts to collect utilization and claims-related data, and any database established pursuant to the recommendations of the Health Information Infrastructure Advisory Board. OFM may store limited data sets as necessary to support its activities. Unless specifically authorized, OFM may not collect data directly from the records of health care providers and facilities, but must make use of databases that have already collected the information. DOH has raised concerns about sharing their data with OFM.

Summary of Bill: OFM must have access to information submitted as part of the health professional licensing and renewal process, excluding Social Security number and background check information, and information submitted as part of the medical or health facility licensing process.

Access to, and use of, the data must comply with state and federal confidentiality laws and ethical guidelines. OFM must maintain the data with the same degree of confidentiality as DOH. When providing the information, DOH must replace any Social Security number with an alternative identifier capable of linking all licensing records of an individual.

The requirement that OFM maintain access to de-identified data collected and stored by any public or private organization is eliminated. The authority to store limited data sets and the prohibition against collecting data directly from the records of health care providers and facilities are also eliminated.