(c) MEETINGS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—After the initial meeting of 
the Commission, which shall be called by the Sec-
retary, the Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairperson. 
(2) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of 
the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a 
lesser number of members may hold hearings. 
(3) SUPERMAJORITY VOTING REQUIREMENT.— 
To approve a report required under paragraph (1), 
(2), or (3) of subsection (e), at least 60 percent of 
the membership of the Commission must vote in 
favor of such a report. 
(d) DUTIES.—The Commission shall— 
(1) assess the effectiveness of programs de-
signed to expand health care coverage or make 
health care coverage affordable to uninsured individ-
uals by identifying the accomplishments and needed 
improvements of each program; 
(2) make recommendations regarding the bene-
fits and cost-sharing that should be included in 
health care coverage for various groups, taking into 
account— 
(A) the special health care needs of chil-
dren and individuals with disabilities;
(B) the different ability of various popu-
lations to pay out-of-pocket costs for services; 
(C) incentives for efficiency and cost-con-
tainment; 
(D) racial and ethnic disparities in health 
status and health care; 
(E) incremental changes to the United 
States health care delivery system and changes 
to achieve fundamental restructuring of the sys-
tem; 
(F) populations who are traditionally more 
difficult to cover, including immigrants and 
homeless persons; 
(G) preventive care, diagnostic services, 
disease management services, and other factors; 
(H) quality improvement initiatives among 
health institutions serving disadvantaged pa-
tient populations; and 
(I) the feasibility of and barriers to the de-
velopment of a comprehensive system of health 
care; 
(3) recommend mechanisms to expand health 
care coverage to uninsured individuals; 
(4) recommend automatic enrollment and reten-
tion procedures and other measures to increase
health care coverage among those eligible for assist-
ance; and 
(5) analyze the size, effectiveness, and efficiency 
of current tax and other subsidies for health care 
coverage and recommend improvements. 
(e) REPORTS.— 
(1) ANNUAL REPORTS.—The Commission shall 
submit annual reports to the President and the ap-
propriate committees of Congress addressing the 
matters identified in subsection (d). 
(2) BIENNIAL REPORT.—The Commission shall 
submit biennial reports to the President and the ap-
propriate committees of Congress containing— 
(A) recommendations concerning essential 
benefits and maximum out-of-pocket cost-shar-
ing for— 
(i) the general population; and 
(ii) individuals with limited ability to 
pay; and 
(B) proposed legislative language to imple-
ment such recommendations. 
(3) COMMISSION REPORT.—Not later than Jan-
uary 15, 2007, the Commission shall submit a re-
port to the President and the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress, which shall include—
(A) recommendations on policies to provide 
health care coverage to uninsured individuals; 
(B) recommendations on changes to poli-
cies enacted under this Act; and 
(C) proposed legislative language to imple-
ment such recommendations. 
(f) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) POWERS.— 
(A) HEARINGS.—The Commission may 
hold such hearings, sit and act at such times 
and places, take such testimony, and receive 
such evidence as the Commission considers ad-
visable to carry out this section. 
(B) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGEN-
CIES.—The Commission may secure directly 
from any Federal department or agency such 
information as the Commission considers nec-
essary to carry out this section. Upon request 
of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head 
of such department or agency shall furnish such 
information to the Commission. 
(C) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission 
may use the United States mails in the same 
manner and under the same conditions as other
departments and agencies of the Federal Gov-
ernment. 
(D) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, 
use, and dispose of donations of services or 
property. 
(2) COMPENSATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Each member of the 
Commission who is not an officer or employee 
of the Federal Government shall be com-
pensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent 
of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for 
level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 
5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each 
day (including travel time) during which such 
member is engaged in the performance of duties 
of the Commission. All members of the Com-
mission who are officers or employees of the 
United States shall serve without compensation 
in addition to that received for their services as 
officers or employees of the United States. 
(B) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The members of 
the Commission shall be allowed travel ex-
penses, as authorized by the Chairperson of the 
Commission, including per diem in lieu of sub-
sistence, at rates authorized for employees of
agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of 
title 5, United States Code, while away from 
their homes or regular places of business in the 
performance of services for the Commission. 
(3) STAFF.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Chairperson of the 
Commission may appoint an executive director 
such other staff as may be necessary to enable 
the Commission to perform its duties. The em-
ployment of an executive director shall be sub-
ject to confirmation by the Commission. 
(B) STAFF
COMPENSATION.—The Chair-
person of the Commission may fix the com-
pensation of personnel without regard to chap-
ter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 
5, United States Code, relating to classification 
of positions and General Schedule pay rates, ex-
cept that the rate of pay for personnel may not 
exceed the rate payable for level V of the Exec-
utive Schedule under section 5316 of such title. 
(C) DETAIL
OF
GOVERNMENT
EMPLOY-
EES.—Any Federal Government employee may 
be detailed to the Commission without reim-
bursement, and such detail shall be without