ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                              Ch. 93

(5) three consumers, appointed by the Governor.

(c) The executive director of the Maryland Health Care Commission shall
chair the Task Force.

(d) The Maryland Health Care Commission shall provide staff for the Task
Force within existing budgeted resources.

(e) A member of the Task Force:

(1) may not receive compensation; but

(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.

(f) The Task Force shall study:

(1) ways to improve access to affordable private health insurance for
residents of the State;

(2) the types and cost of health insurance policies offered in Delaware,
the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia;

(3)     the number of health insurance carriers operating in Delaware, the
District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia;

(4)     laws and state policies that allow health insurance carriers in
Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West
Virginia to offer more than one health insurance benefit package or product in the
small group health insurance market and the individual health insurance market;

(5) the number of mandated benefits required by state law in Delaware,
the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia;

(6) the average health insurance premiums and cost sharing for policies
subject to state regulation offered in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia;

(7) the types of pre-existing condition limitations required by state law
for health insurance carriers offering health insurance policies offered in Delaware,
the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia; and

(8) any other issues the Task Force deems appropriate to encourage
companies not currently doing business in the State to consider providing private
health insurance in the State.

(g) The Task Force shall report its findings and recommendations to the
Governor and, subject to § 2-1246 of the State Government Article, the General
Assembly on or before December 1, 2004.

(a) The Maryland Health Care Commission and the Maryland Insurance
Administration shall conduct a study of the affordability of private health insurance
in Maryland.

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