Section 16M. (a) There shall be a MassHealth payment policy advisory board. The board shall consist of the secretary of health and human services or his designee, who shall serve as chair, the executive director of the center for health information and analysis, and 12 other members: 1 member appointed by the speaker of the house; 1 member appointed by the president of the senate; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Hospital Association; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Medical Society; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Extended Care Federation; 1 member appointed by Mass Aging Services Association, 1 member appointed by the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers; 1 member appointed by Mental Health and Substance Abuse Corporations of Massachusetts; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Medicaid Policy Institute; 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems; 1 member appointed by Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts; and 2 members appointed by the governor, 1 member representing managed care organizations contracting with MassHealth and 1 member being an expert in medical payment methodologies from a foundation or academic institution.
(b) The board shall have the following powers and duties:—
(1) to obtain from the office of Medicaid all data and analysis required to fully meet its charge under this section and to obtain further data and analysis from the center for health information and analysis as authorized in chapter 12C of the General Laws;
(2) to conduct public hearings;
(3) to review and evaluate rates and payment systems by the office of Medicaid and recommend Title XIX rates and rate methodologies that provide fair compensation for MassHealth services and promote high-quality, safe, effective, timely, efficient, culturally competent and patient-centered care. The board shall specifically review rates and rate methodologies for MassHealth services provided by community health centers. The center shall provide the board with the appropriate information not later than 45 days before the proposals are adopted into regulation; and
(4) to report to the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees on ways and means semi-annually to coincide with the state budget hearings and development.
(c) The executive office of health and human services shall provide the board with staff from the center for health information and analysis necessary to complete needed research and analysis and enable the committee to make effective recommendations. Not less than 90 days before implementing any of the payment policies established under this section, the center shall provide a detailed plan of implementation of the policies to the joint committee on health care financing and to the house and senate committees on ways and means.