Title VI, SEC. 6006. RECOMMENDATIONS TO ELIMINATE REGIONAL VARIATIONS IN ALLIANCE TARGETS DUE TO VARIATION IN PRACTICE PATTERNS; CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION. (a) Establishment of Advisory Commission on Regional Variations in Health Expenditures. The chair of the Board shall establish, by not later than 60 days after the date of appointment of the first chair, an advisory commission on regional variations in health expenditures. (b) Composition. The advisory commission shall be composed of consumers, employers, providers, representatives of health plans, States, regional alliances, individuals with expertise in the financing of health care, individuals with expertise in the economics of health care, and representatives of diverse geographic areas. (c) Regional Variations. (1) Information. The advisory commission shall provide the Board, States, and regional alliances with information about regional differences in health care costs and practice patterns. (2) Methods for elimination of regional variation due to practice pattern. The advisory commission shall examine methods of eliminating variation in regional alliance per capita premium targets due to variation in practice patterns, not due to other factors (such as health care input prices and demographic factors), by 2002. (3) Methods for reducing regional variation in premium payments for afdc and ssi recipients due to historical variation in characteristics of state medicaid plans. The advisory commission shall examine methods of reducing the variation in Federal and State payments under sections 9011 and 9101. In addition to the factors considered in paragraph (2), the commission shall examine methods of reducing variation due to historical differences in the rates of reimbursement to providers and in the amount, duration, and scope of benefits covered under State medicaid plans. (4) Methods for reduction of regional variation in state maintenance-of-effort payments for non-cash assistance recipients. The advisory commission shall study the reasons for variation among State in the level of maintenance of effort payments for non-cash assistance recipients and shall examine methods of reducing variation across States in the level of maintenance of effort payments compared to the population of the State. The commission shall link consideration of the variation in premium targets under paragraph (2) with the variation in State and Federal payments described in this paragraph. (5) Other factors. The advisory commission shall examine methods of reducing variations in spending among States for health care services that are attributable to historical differences. (d) Recommendations to Board. The advisory commission shall submit to the Board a report that specifies (1) one or more methods for eliminating the variation described in subsection (c)(2), and (2) one or more methods for reducing variations described in subsection (c)(4) across States. (e) Report to Congress. (1) In general. The Board shall submit to Congress, by not later July 1, 1995, detailed recommendations respecting the specific method to be used to achieve each of the following: (A) The elimination of the variation in the regional alliance per capita premium (as described in subsection (b)(2)) by 2002. (B) Reducing the variation in State payments under sections 9001 and 9011 (taking into account any interaction between these payments), in a manner that is budget neutral with respect to total government payments and payments by the Federal Government. In making recommendations in subparagraph (B), the Board shall consider the fiscal capacity of the States. (2) Subsequent report. If a joint resolution described in subsection (f) does not become law, the Board shall submit to Congress revised detailed recommendations respecting the specific method to be used to achieve the elimination of such variation by 2002. Such recommendations shall be submitted not later than 90 days after the date such resolution is disapproved by either House (or vetoed by the President) or, if earlier, 150 days after the date of submission of the recommendations under paragraph (1). (f) Congressional Consideration. (1) In general. Detailed recommendations submitted under paragraph (1)(A) or (1)(B) or (2) of subsection (e) shall apply under this subtitle only if a joint resolution (described in paragraph (2)) approving such recommendations is enacted, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (3), before the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date on which such recommendations were submitted. For purposes of applying the preceding sentence and paragraphs (2) and (3), the days on which either House of Congress is not in session because of an adjournment of more than three days to a day certain shall be excluded in the computation of a period. (2) Joint resolution of approval. A joint resolution described in this paragraph means only a joint resolution which is introduced within the 10-day period beginning on the date on which the Board submits recommendations under paragraph (1)(A), (1)(B), or (2) of subsection (e) and (A) which does not have a preamble; (B) the matter after the resolving clause of which is either of the following 2 clauses: (i) For recommendations under paragraph (1)(A): ``That Congress approves the recommendations of the National Health Board concerning elimination of regional variation in regional alliance per capita premium targets under subtitle A of title VI of the Health Security Act, as submitted by the Board on G7XXXXXXX.'', the blank space being filled in with the appropriate date; or (ii) For recommendations under paragraph (1)(B): ``That Congress approves the recommendations of the National Health Board concerning reducing the variation in State payments under sections 9001 and 9011 of the Health Security Act, as submitted by the Board on G7XXXXXXX.'', the blank space being filled in with the appropriate date; and (C) the title of which, respectively, is either of the following: (i) For recommendations under paragraph (1)(A): ``Joint resolution approving recommendations of the National Health Board concerning elimination of regional variation in regional alliance per capita premium targets under subtitle A of title VI of the Health Security Act, as submitted by the Board on G7XXXXXXX.'', the blank space being filled in with the appropriate date; or (ii) For recommendations under paragraph (1)(B): ``Joint resolution approving recommendations of the National Health Board concerning reducing the variation in State payments under sections 9001 and 9011 of the Health Security Act, as submitted by the Board on G7XXXXXXX.'', the blank space being filled in with the appropriate date. (3) Procedures for consideration of resolution of approval. Subject to paragraph (4), the provisions of section 2908 (other than subsection (a)) of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 shall apply to the consideration of a joint resolution described in paragraph (2) in the same manner as such provisions apply to a joint resolution described in section 2908(a) of such Act. (4) Special rules. For purposes of applying paragraph (3) with respect to such provisions (A) any reference to the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives shall be deemed a reference to an appropriate Committee of the House of Representatives (specified by the Speaker of the House of Representatives at the time of submission of recommendations under subsection (e)) and any reference to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate shall be deemed a reference to an appropriate Committee of the House of Representatives (specified by the Majority Leader of the Senate at the time of submission of recommendations under subsection (e)); and (B) any reference to the date on which the President transmits a report shall be deemed a reference to the date on which the Board submits a recommendation under paragraph (1)(A), (1)(B), or (2) of subsection (e).