§ 21

The commission is hereby authorized and directed to establish and implement a vendor quality improvement program for purposes including, but not limited to: the evaluation and improvement of all health care services as applied to those contracts and the promotion of customer-oriented quality management techniques. Such program shall include both long and short-term objectives, quantifiable improvement goals, benchmarks for evaluating vendors and mechanisms to promote collaboration between the commission and health care vendors to improve health care services. The commission shall file an annual report with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and with the governor not later than September 30 concerning such vendor quality improvement program.