SB 553 - This act provides that on January 1, 2010, the health care programs of all state employees, including from the Department of Conservation and Transportation, University of Missouri employees including from state-supported colleges and universities shall be assimilated into the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan (MCHCP). After July 1, 2010, the Board of Trustees of MCHCP shall investigate coordinating and purchasing health care benefit plans for employees and dependents of the public schools and community colleges as well as investigate the lack of availability of health insurance coverage and the issues associated with the uninsured population of this state. The board is also authorized to investigate the feasibility of creating and administering insurance programs for businesses and to propose cost-effective solutions to reducing the number of uninsured in the state. After July 1, 2011, the Board shall be the lead agency in coordinating and purchasing health care benefit plans for the employees and dependents of the public schools and community colleges whenever such entities opt to join the collective purchasing power of the plan. This act establishes the Missouri Consolidated Health Information Exchange (MCHIE). The MCHIE shall operate under the authority of the MCHCP and in collaboration with the University of Missouri. MCHIE shall provide leadership in the redesign of the health care delivery system using information technology to ensure that all citizens receive safe, effective, efficient, and quality care. It shall also serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas and consensus building in the advancement of health information technology and infrastructure. In addition, the MCHIE shall implement pilot projects to determine the impact of various health care applications using information technology. All other duties of the MCHIE are prescribed under the act. The board of MCHCP shall appoint a committee entitled the Missouri Consolidated Health Information Exchange Committee. The members are prescribed in the act. The committee's duties include implementing and overseeing the operation of a health information exchange in the state. MCHCP shall establish and create a separate trust fund entitled the "MCHIE trust fund" to be used solely for the purposes related to the MCHIE. This act contains an emergency clause. ADRIANE CROUSE