MINUTES 
                                           
                         SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE AFFAIRS 
                            Tuesday, September 21, 2004 
                                     9:00 a.m. 
                                   Senate Chamber 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on State Affairs  
         was held on Tuesday, September 21, 2004, in the Senate Chamber  
         at Austin, Texas. 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Robert Duncan                   Senator Tommy Williams 
         Senator Rodney Ellis                    Senator Kenneth  
                                                 Armbrister 
         Senator Chris Harris                    Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Florence Shapiro                Senator Frank Madla 
                                                 Senator Jane Nelson 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The chair called the meeting to order at 9:09 a.m.  The  
         following business was transacted:   
          
         The Chair offered welcoming remarks and reviewed the interim  
         charges before the committee: 
          
         The following testified before the Committee: 
          
         On Interim Charge #1: 
          
         -Darren Rodgers, Blue Cross/Blue Shield 
         -Joe Cheek, Aetna, Inc. 
          
              Witness Panel: 
              -Mark Wermes, Medco Health Solutions, Inc. 
              -Peter Harty, Medco Health Solutions, Inc. 
          
              Witness Panel: 
              -James C. Magiotta, Caremark 
              -Allen Horne, Caremark 
          
         -Spencer Berthelsen, Texas Medical Association 
         -Patricia Kolodsky, Texas Hospital Association 
         -John O'Brien, PhRMA 
         -David Queller, Aetna, Inc. 
         -Cherrill Farnsworth, National Coalition for Quality Diagnostic  
         Imaging Services 
  
         The Chair opened public testimony for interim charges 1, 3, 4,  
         and 5.  The following testified before the committee: 
          
         On HRA's 
         -Rene Lara, Texas Federation of Teachers 
          
         On medical coverage for obesity treatment: 
         -Patrice Lieb, private citizen 
          
         The following registered but did not testify: 
          
         -Jill Stearnes, Medco Health Solutions, Inc. 
          
         The Chair closed public testimony on all interim charges. There  
         being no further business, the Committee stood recessed subject  
         to the call of the Chair. 
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Robert Duncan, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Teddy Carter, Clerk