31-3517. ESTABLISHMENT OF A CATASTROPHIC HEALTH CARE COST PROGRAM. (1) The governing board of the catastrophic health care cost program created by the counties pursuant to a joint exercise of powers agreement, dated October 1, 1984, and serving on June 30, 1991, is hereby continued as such through December 31, 1992, to complete the affairs of the board, to continue to pay for those medical costs incurred by participating counties prior to October 1, 1991, until all costs are paid or the moneys in the catastrophic health care cost account contributed by participating counties are exhausted, and to pay the balance of such contributions back to the county of origin in the proportion contributed. County responsibility shall be limited to the first eleven thousand dollars ($11,000) per claim. The remainder of the eligible costs of the claim shall be paid by the state catastrophic health care cost program.
(2) Commencing October 1, 1991, a catastrophic health care cost program board is hereby established for the purpose of administering the catastrophic health care cost program. This board shall consist of twelve (12) members, with six (6) county commissioners, one (1) from each of the six (6) districts or regions established by the Idaho association of counties, four (4) members of the legislature, with one (1) each being appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate, the leader of the minority party of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the leader of the minority party of the house of representatives, one (1) member appointed by the director of the department and one (1) member appointed by the governor.
(a) The county commissioner members shall be elected by the county commissioners of the member counties of each district or region, with each board of county commissioners entitled to one (1) vote. The process and procedures for conducting the election and determining the members shall be determined by the board itself, except that the election must be conducted, completed and results certified by December 31 of each year in which an election for members is conducted. The board recognized in subsection (1) of this section shall authorize and conduct the election in 1991.
(b) The term of office of a member shall be two (2) years, commencing on January 1 next following election or appointment, except that for commissioner members elected in 1991, the commissioner members from districts or regions 1, 3 and 5 shall serve for a term of one (1) year, and the commissioner members from districts or regions 2, 4 and 6 shall serve for a term of two (2) years. Members may be reelected or reappointed. Election or appointment to fill vacancies shall be for the balance of the unexpired term.
(c) The board shall have an executive committee consisting of the chair, vice chair, secretary and such other members of the board as determined by the board. The executive committee may exercise such authority as may be delegated to it by the board between meetings.
(d) The member appointed by the governor shall be reimbursed as provided in section 59-509(b), Idaho Code, from the catastrophic health care cost account.
(3) The board shall meet at least once each year at the time and place fixed by the chair. Other necessary meetings may be called by the chair by giving notice as may be required by state statute or rule. Notice of all meetings shall be given in the manner prescribed by law.
(4) Except as may otherwise be provided, a majority of the board constitutes a quorum for all purposes, and the majority vote of the members voting shall constitute the action of the board. The secretary of the board shall take and maintain the minutes of board proceedings. Meetings shall be open and public except the board may meet in closed session to prepare, approve and administer applications submitted to the board for approval by the respective counties.
(5) At the first meeting of the board in January of each year, the board shall organize by electing a chair, a vice chair, a secretary and such other officers as desired.
(6) All moneys received or expended by the program shall be audited annually by a certified public accountant, designated by the governing board, who shall furnish a copy of such audit to the director of legislative services.
(7) The board shall submit a request to the governor and the legislature in accordance with the provisions of chapter 35, title 67, Idaho Code, for an appropriation for the maintenance and operation of the catastrophic health care cost program.
History:
[31-3517, added 1982, ch. 190, sec. 3, p. 511; repealed 1990, ch. 87, sec. 1, p. 553; reinstated and am. 1991, ch. 233, sec. 11, p. 559; am. 1992, ch. 266, sec. 1, p. 821; am. 1993, ch. 387, sec. 4, p. 1419; am. 1995, ch. 9, sec. 2, p. 14; am. 2009, ch. 177, sec. 16, p. 570; am. 2010, ch. 273, sec. 27, p. 708; am. 2011, ch. 174, sec. 1, p. 495; am. 2011, ch. 291, sec. 22, p. 809; am. 2020, ch. 82, sec. 33, p. 203.]