MINNEAPOLIS, Updated 10:51 a.m. CST February 9, 2007 -- House lawmakers introduced a bill Monday calling for a commission that would oversee spending from the Health Care Access Fund (HCAF), which receives revenues from the 2 percent provider tax, also known as the sick tax.

The bill, HF 644, was introduced to the Health and Human Services Committee February 5. A companion bill has also been introduced in the Senate.

The bill calls for an oversight commission that would develop criteria for acceptable use of sick-tax dollars in accordance with the goal of expanding access to health care services for low-income Minnesotans without replacing general fund appropriations.

The commission would review all legislative proposals for new uses of provider tax revenues. The proposed commission would include three health care providers appointed by the governer, two Minnesota Care recipients appointed by the governor, two House representatives and two state senators, and the commissioner of human services. The commission would meet at least twice a year.

The House authors of HF 644 include Thomas Huntley, R-Duluth, Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, Kim Norton, DFL-Rochester, and Matt Dean, R-Dellwood. This is the first time the MMA has supported the creation of such a commission at the Legislature, and it marks a shift in strategy for the MMA.

The MMA has fought for the elimination of the tax since it was passed in 1992 to fund MinnesotaCare. The MMA continues to advocate for its repeal. But in 2006, MMA leaders recognized that state lawmakers were raiding the fund to pay for non-health-care purposes or to balance the budget.

The MMA formed a workgroup to study the issue and recommend a response.

The MMA surveyed members and found that they didn’t like the tax but they wanted to protect MinnesotaCare, and in general, didn’t think the program should be eliminated in order to get rid of the tax. Only 22 percent of members polled supported that move.

So the workgroup recommended that the MMA pursue a two-pronged strategy of fighting the tax but also lobbying to make sure its revenues were spent appropriately.

As part of that, the work group recommended the creation of an HCAF oversight commission. The MMA’s 2006 House of Delegates, via Resolution 218, also directed the MMA to lobby for an HCAF oversight commission.