After six years, the Wyoming Healthcare Commission will disband June 30.

The commission, legislators and health care organizations have begun the discussion of what, if anything, happens next.

During the 2008 Legislature, lawmakers decided not to pursue legislation to continue the commission past its sunset date.

Susie Scott, executive director of the commission, said there is consensus that the group should not continue in its current form, but something needs to be in its place.

"New times call for new strategies," Scott said.

The commission would be remiss, Scott said, if it didn't offer some recommendations on what should come next. The commission spent most of its Monday meeting in Casper discussing what type of organization should take its place.

This summer, the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis at the University of Nebraska, prepared a report for the commission examining about 50 state health care commissions. It selected nine for further review, including the Georgia Health Strategies Council and Oregon Health Policy Commission.

Dr. Larry Kirven, co-chairman of the commission, said the group needs to decide what type of authority this organization would have. Also, he said the current commission needs to be restructured to allow the group to be more effective.

John Vandel, dean of the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy, interrupted the discussions to ask legislators at the meeting if this was even something they wanted to look at.

It depends on who is elected, said Rep. Jack Landon, R-Sheridan. He said it is difficult to tell what new legislators' attitudes will be.

However, he added that some legislators have said their expectations were not met by the commission.

"That's history, that's in the past," Landon said. "Use history as a lesson and focus more on the future."

Rep. Bob Brechtel, R-Casper, said whatever shape the organization takes, it should communicate better with the Legislature.

"I firmly believe, personally, that something needs to continue," Brechtel said. "Some form of this really needs to move forward."

Most commissioners agreed the new organization should include representatives from the Legislature to facilitate better connection between the two entities. They also said the organization could use more direction from legislators.

Rex Arney, co-chairman, suggested the Legislature form a select committee to work directly with the commission

Landon said some have talked about breaking down the workload of the Labor, Health and Social Services Committee, but there has been little interest among legislators to create more select committees.

Landon said he likes the idea of the new commission receiving more direction from the Legislature.

"You want to know that what you're doing will at least get a lively discussion," Landon said. "That's the part that seems to be missing."

The commission is unsure of who it will make its recommendations to and when they will propose recommendations.

"Whatever we do and whatever shape this takes, we need justification," Arney said. "We need to spell out clearly what our justification is."

Contact health reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.