Illinois Chamber Healthcare Council Charter
PURPOSE
The Board of Directors of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce considers healthcare a fundamental public policy issue significant to Illinois business. The Board of Directors believes healthcare is a high priority that demands the attention of responsible elected officials and opinion leaders due to the significant impact this subject has on the civic, social and economic future of the people and employers who reside and do business in Illinois.
The Board of Directors established the Healthcare Council to serve as the Chamber’s primary resource for obtaining the benefit of members’ intellectual capital, experience and resources to help the Chamber educate, respond to and be a leader in influencing healthcare policy. The Board of Directors relies upon the Healthcare Council to develop credible, reliable and timely issue-related materials, and to develop and recommend policy positions for the Board’s consideration and action.
The purpose of the Healthcare Council is to develop and take actions to achieve affordable, accessible, efficient, high quality healthcare for the employers and residents of our state. This Council’s fundamental responsibility is to the individual entrepreneurs, employers and employees that pay the insurance premiums and costs of healthcare in our state, and to the providers, that are an important constituent in achieving our purpose.
The Council provides a forum in which Illinois Chamber members, with a vested interest in healthcare can work together to undertake and advance issues, develop action plans, provide programs and influence policies to achieve the Chamber’s strategic goals.
The Healthcare Council members are the Chamber’s primary sources for information, guidance, bill review and testimony regarding legislation that may be pending before the Illinois General Assembly, the United States Congress, or Illinois local governments. The Chamber looks to Council members for information, insight and analysis on initiatives and statements offered by the state’s public officials. The Board of Directors, with input from the Government Affairs Committee, will review and approve any policy or position prior to its release as an official position of the Illinois Chamber.
The Chamber recognizes that Council membership may reflect diverse organizations and may occasionally result in conflicting or competitive business interests and views, but that is by design: the Chamber seeks consensus solutions that address the common concerns and interests for what is best for the future of Illinois. The Council’s role is to look for solutions, build consensus, formulate action plans and offer leadership in facilitating positive change for Illinois business.
STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS
Management: The Healthcare Council is managed by an executive director who serves as lead staff liaison to the membership. As a member of the Chamber staff, the executive director reports to the Chamber president and oversees the formulation of policies, draft legislation, review and proposal of changes to state rules, policies or procedures. The executive director is responsible for managing the activities, programs and communications of the Council.
The Healthcare Council is led administratively by its Executive Committee, the purpose of which is set forth below. A Chairperson is selected from the ranks of the Executive Committee members. In addition, the Council may create standing issue focused committees. The general responsibilities of each of the committees are also set forth below. The Council may, at any time, create or eliminate issue focused committees as determined by the Council.
The Chairperson and executive director will:
- prepare notices, agendas, and minutes of all meetings of the membership;
- assemble, compile, and disseminate information as directed by the Executive Committee;
- direct and supervise employees assigned to the council;
- recommend selection and retention of and supervise outside counsel, advisors and other professional service providers;
- prepare and distribute an annual report of the results of the undertakings and accomplishments of the Council for the calendar year;
- maintain and provide accounting records for dues revenue and expenses; and
- perform such other duties deemed important for the functioning of the Council.
Membership in good standing: A member is any person, entity or business engaged in commerce that pays annual Chamber membership dues plus annual Council membership dues. The member must pay their dues within six months of their anniversary date.
Suspension and Termination of Membership: . Membership may be suspended or terminated, by a three-fifths vote of those members present at any regularly constituted meeting of the Council, for conduct determined by the membership to be detrimental to the mission and purposes of the Council, or if a member becomes ineligible for membership. A member who is in default in payment of annual dues may be suspended or expelled by the President and CEO of the Chamber.
Resignation: A member may resign by filing a written resignation, but such resignation shall not relieve the member of the obligation to pay any dues, assessments or other charges previously accrued and unpaid.
Annual Dues: Healthcare Council membership dues are to be paid annually to the Illinois Chamber. The level of membership dues is established by the Chamber, which may, from time to time, review and change the amount of the annual dues and establish the amount of any other assessments or charges. The Chamber will consult with the Executive Committee of the Healthcare Council before making any changes to the annual membership dues level. The suggested levels shown are guidelines. Commitment, size, and other factors may cause the annual dues to be either increased or decreased, on an individual basis.
1. Issue Members: Issue Members shall consist of Illinois Chamber members who are concerned about healthcare in Illinois and wish to be active participants in developing the Illinois Chamber’s healthcare agenda, policies and initiatives on these issues. The suggested level of investment, for this level of membership, is $1,000 to $4,999 above sustaining Illinois Chamber membership dues. Sustaining dues are based on the number of employees in the State of Illinois and are a basic level of membership which does not include active membership in any Council.
2. Executive Committee Members: The Executive Committee consists of members that are supporting the HC with an annual investment of $5,000, or more, above their sustaining Illinois Chamber membership dues level to help finance HC programs and activities.
3. Dues levels for Executive Committee and Issue Members: Dues as shown above are suggested levels and are investments above standard Sustaining dues. Any current members of the Illinois Chamber may choose to be members of the Executive Committee or Issue Members if they meet the investment levels shown above or by adding an additional investment to bring them up to the levels as shown.
4. Illinois Chamber Interested Members: All members of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce will benefit from the work of the Healthcare Council and have access to output and newsletters, through the Chamber’s web site. Any Illinois Chamber member, with a special interest in healthcare, may be added to the HC publications distribution list as a means to keep abreast of healthcare issues and related Illinois Chamber activities.
MEETINGS
The Chamber Healthcare Council will meet at least once each quarter. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once every other month, and other standing committees will meet at least quarterly.
Any issues or motions that require a vote are limited to one vote per member organization. The Executive Committee reviews the activities of all HC committees and helps set the strategies & priorities of the Council. All HC related policy statements are reviewed by the Executive Committee and recommended by the Committee to the Illinois Chamber Board of Directors.
At any meeting, fifteen members constitute a quorum. An act of three-fifths of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be an act of the council.
Annual Meeting: Each year an Annual Meeting of Members will be held to elect officers or appoint members of the Executive Committee and to transact such other business as may come before the meeting.
Notice of Meetings: Written notice stating the place, date and time of any meeting of members will be emailed not less than five days before the scheduled meeting.
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
The Healthcare Council and its committee functions are overseen by a Chairperson, who must be an employee of a dues paying member of the council.
Chairperson: Subject to the direction and will of the membership, the chairperson shall be in charge of the business and affairs of the Council. He or she shall see the resolutions and directives of the membership are carried into effect except in those instances in which that responsibility is assigned to some other person by the membership, and in general shall discharge all duties incident to the office of chairperson and such other duties as may be prescribed by the membership. He or she shall preside at all meetings of the members and of the steering committee unless that authority is expressly delegated to another. The Chairperson is automatically designated a member of the Chamber Board of Directors.
Election and Term of Office: The Chairperson is selected by and from the members of the Council and is appointed by the Illinois Chamber Board Executive Committee. The term of appointment for the Chairperson is one calendar year. A Chairperson may serve an unlimited number of terms.
Any officer elected or appointed by the membership may be removed by the membership whenever, in the judgment of the membership, the best interests of the council would be served thereby.
Committees: The chairperson may from time to time designate and appoint one or more committees comprised of members of the council for any purpose. Illinois Chamber of Commerce staff, or staff of any affiliate of the Illinois Chamber, may be assigned to assist any committee or subcommittee meetings of members.
Each committee will be led by a chairperson. The chairperson will be chosen by the Steering Committee. The members of the Committee will be comprised of representatives from business sectors related to each committee’s focus.
Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall provide guidance to the chairperson and the Healthcare Council members regarding all state and local legislative, regulatory, and policy matters which are of substantial significance to the council pending final consideration or approval of such matters by the membership.
The Executive Committee shall meet periodically and make recommendations to the membership regarding the level of funding and other necessary resources for council activities and shall review, approve, and propose the annual budget to the membership. In turn, the membership will recommend the budget to the Chamber.
Steering Committee: The Steering Committee shall be composed of HC members appointed by the HC Chairperson, and will attempt to include:
- representative from a health care provider
- representative from the health insurance industry
- two large employers
- two representatives from small and mid-size employers
- Chairpersons of each active standing committee
- Other representatives deemed necessary to carry out the HC’s purpose
- the Illinois Chamber Board Chairman and the Chamber President serve as ex-officio members.
Standing Committees: The HC currently has the following standing committees:
1. Uninsured
2. Technology
3. Medicaid
4. Legislative
All members of the Healthcare Council are eligible to participate in any or all of the Standing Committees. Each committee develops strategies and priorities on issues being considered in Springfield and Washington DC. They also act as the political sounding board for the Council on issues being debated by the Illinois General Assembly and US Congress. Only members of the Council will be eligible to vote on issues before any of the committees.
A primary objective of the members of the Healthcare Council is to assure sufficient funding to adequately finance a staff and program budget that ensures the Illinois Chamber has the necessary resources to effectively engage government decision makers in the development and administration of Illinois healthcare law.
COUNCIL OUTPUT
From time to time, the Council may issue special written reports, convene hearings or offer conferences and seminars for information-sharing, fact-finding and education that highlight topics requiring special attention.
Research Reports and White Papers may be issued as the work on a subject issue is completed, reviewed and endorsed by the Council and the Chamber Government Affairs Committee. Should the publications contain specific policy statements, those statements must have achieved Chamber Board approval prior to release as an official position of the Illinois Chamber.
The council will distribute an electronic newsletter at least monthly. This will keep all council members and other Chamber members apprised of issues, actions and reports on meetings.
All publications will be available on the Chamber web site.
AMENDMENTS TO THIS CHARTER
These operating guidelines may be altered, amended or repealed by a vote of three-fifths of the members at any regular or special meeting of the members, provided that a copy of the proposed alteration, amendment or repeal shall be furnished to each member at least twenty days prior to the meeting at which the alteration, amendment or repeal is to be acted upon by the membership. The twenty-day notice provisions may be waived by an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members at any regular or special meeting.
07.07.06
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