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Joint Commission on Health Care takes on step‑2 mandated‑benefit assessments; staff slot transferred from JLARC
Summary
The commission welcomed Joint Commission on Health Care staff, which the General Assembly delegated to perform step‑2 social and economic assessments of proposed mandated benefits. JCHC said it received one staff position transferred from JLARC and expects the position filled by July.
The Health Insurance Reform Commission received a briefing that the Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC) will now perform the step‑2 assessments of social and economic costs and benefits for proposed mandated health‑insurance benefits.
Sarah Stanton, executive director of JCHC, told the commission that House Bill 2372 (chapter 268 of the 2025 acts of assembly) transferred the analytical duty from JLARC to JCHC. She said JCHC will continue to produce comprehensive step‑2 analyses similar to JLARC’s past work: descriptions of proposed coverage, evidence about availability and efficacy, utilization estimates and the financial impacts of lacking coverage. The JCHC will gather evidence through literature review, interviews and data analysis and said it has one newly transferred staff position and plans to fill it by July.
Stanton said JCHC’s existing staff is small — an executive director, a deputy and three health policy analysts — and that the additional position will be important for meeting the interim timeline required by HERC for mandated‑benefit step‑2 work. She noted a short delay is possible while data‑sharing agreements are established.
Delegate Maldonado asked for clarification about two short studies JCHC added to its work plan this week: implementing a Medicaid ‘‘in‑lieu‑of‑service’’ food and nutrition benefit for pregnant and postpartum women and people with diabetes, and approaches to legislative oversight of Medicaid spending. JCHC said those two targeted studies will be completed this summer in addition to its ongoing comprehensive studies.
The commission thanked JCHC for the briefing; no formal vote was required on the transfer of responsibilities. JCHC staff said they will coordinate with BOI and commission staff on timelines and data needs required for upcoming step‑2 assessments.
