[§431N-3]  State health insuranceprogram established.  There is established within the department of healththe state health insurance program whose goals shall be to:

(1)  Subsidize health care coverage for gap groupindividuals, including but not necessarily limited to outpatient primary andpreventive care;

(2)  Encourage the uninsured who can afford toparticipate in existing health plans to seek that coverage;

(3)  Discourage individuals who are already adequatelyinsured from seeking benefits under the state health insurance program;

(4)  Assure that those persons who have the ability topay for all or part of their coverage be appropriately assessed by thecontractors on a sliding fee scale basis; and

(5)  Ensure that the state health insurance program isaffordable to gap group individuals.

The program shall be funded by legislativeappropriations made to the department of health. [L 1989, c 378, pt of §1]