00 CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 160(HES) 01 "An Act establishing an Alaska health care program to ensure insurance coverage for 02 essential health services for residents of the state; establishing the Alaska Health Care 03 Board to administer the Alaska health care program and the Alaska health care fund; 04 establishing the Alaska health care clearinghouse to administer the Alaska health care 05 program under the direction of the Alaska Health Care Board; establishing eligibility 06 standards and premium assistance for persons with low income; creating the Alaska 07 health care fund; providing for review of actions and reporting requirements related to 08 the health care program; and providing for an effective date." 09 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 10  * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 11 to read: 12 FINDINGS; PURPOSE. (a) The legislature finds that 01 (1) the current health care system is unsustainable; 02 (2) improving and protecting the health of Alaskans must be a primary goal of 03 the state; 04 (3) all Alaskans should have access to essential health care services that are 05 affordable, that are based on publicly debated criteria, and that consider the well-being of 06 individuals across their life spans; 07 (4) Alaska has an economic interest in ensuring equitable financing of 08 essential health care for Alaskans who do not have access to basic health care; 09 (5) health care policies should emphasize public health and encourage the use 10 of quality service and evidence-based treatment that are appropriate and safe and that 11 discourage over-treatment; 12 (6) health care providers and informed patients must be the primary decision 13 makers who are accountable for an individual's health; 14 (7) health care funding should be explicit, predictable, and economically 15 sustainable; 16 (8) an economically sustainable health care system requires that providers 17 receive fair and adequate compensation; 18 (9) health care must be balanced with other programs that also affect health; 19 and 20 (10) health care must account for the allocation of resources and the human 21 consequences of funding decisions. 22 (b) The purpose of this Act is to address the findings and concerns listed in (a) of this 23 section by creating the Alaska health care program. 24  * Sec. 2. AS 21.54 is amended by adding new sections to read: 25 Article 2A. Alaska Health Care Program.  26 Sec. 21.54.200. Alaska health care program. The Alaska health care program 27 is established to 28 (1) ensure that residents of the state have access to affordable health 29 care insurance; 30 (2) require that residents of the state have, at a minimum, insurance 31 covering essential health care services; 01 (3) reduce unsustainable health care cost increases; 02 (4) establish a system of health care insurance that integrates public 03 involvement and oversight, consumer choice, and competition within the private 04 health care insurance market; 05 (5) use models of health care insurance benefits, service delivery, and 06 payments that control costs and overuse, emphasizing preventative care and chronic 07 disease management within a primary care environment; and 08 (6) provide services for humane and dignified end-of-life care. 09 Sec. 21.54.210. Alaska Health Care Board. (a) The Alaska Health Care 10 Board is established in the division to manage the Alaska health care program. 11 (b) The board shall consist of 13 members, including 12 members appointed 12 by the governor, subject to confirmation by the legislature, and the commissioner of 13 health and social services or the commissioner's designee, serving ex officio. The 14 members of the board appointed by the governor must include 15 (1) one representative each from two health care insurers licensed to 16 transact health care insurance in the state; 17 (2) two representatives of the business community other than health 18 care insurers, one representing large businesses, and one representing small 19 businesses; 20 (3) one representative each from two Alaska hospitals; 21 (4) one representative of a labor organization; 22 (5) two physicians licensed in Alaska; 23 (6) two health care consumer advocates; and 24 (7) one registered nurse. 25 (c) Except for the commissioner or the commissioner's designee, who serves 26 ex officio, each board member serves for a term of three years beginning on January 1 27 and until a successor has been appointed. A member is eligible for reappointment. 28 (d) If there is a vacancy, the governor shall make an appointment, effective 29 immediately, for the balance of the unexpired term. 30 (e) Members of the board are entitled to per diem and transportation costs 31 under AS 39.20.180. 01 (f) The board shall select a member to serve as chair and a member to serve as 02 vice-chair for a term and with duties and powers necessary to perform their functions. 03 (g) A majority of the board constitutes a quorum for transacting business. 04 Sec. 21.54.220. Powers and duties of the Alaska Health Care Board. (a) 05 The Alaska Health Care Board shall 06 (1) administer, as a fiduciary, the Alaska health care fund established 07 under AS 21.54.280 in accordance with the Alaska health care program established by 08 AS 21.54.200 - 21.54.310; 09 (2) establish types or categories of health care insurance plans offered 10 through the Alaska health care clearinghouse; 11 (3) classify each plan offered through the clearinghouse as a 12 comprehensive or basic health care insurance plan, based on criteria including the 13 financial cost of the plan, including premium cost, deductible costs, and co-pay 14 provisions; 15 (4) establish criteria for participation by residents and insurers in the 16 Alaska health care program; 17 (5) establish an Alaska health care voucher system that provides health 18 care insurance to each individual who meets the needs-based participation criteria set 19 out in AS 21.54.240 or who is the beneficiary of contributions made to the fund that 20 specify the individual as the beneficiary under AS 21.54.280(b); 21 (6) ensure that eligible individuals are enrolled in a health care 22 insurance plan that provides essential health care services; 23 (7) prescribe the method for determining individual income for the 24 purpose of the Alaska health care program; 25 (8) establish procedures for enrolling a participant in the Alaska health 26 care program, including enrollment procedures describing when an individual may 27 enroll or select a different health insurance plan offered through the Alaska health care 28 clearinghouse; the procedures established under this paragraph must allow an 29 individual insured by a health care insurance plan offered through the Alaska health 30 care clearinghouse to select a different health care insurance plan from the plans 31 offered through the clearinghouse and to make that selection at least annually; 01 (9) require that participants receive complete information regarding the 02 cost of obtaining health care insurance; and 03 (10) establish procedures for notice and hearings for a person 04 aggrieved by a decision of the board or the Alaska health care clearinghouse. 05 (b) The board may hold regular and special meetings as the board considers 06 necessary; board meetings may be held by teleconference; meetings shall be recorded 07 and made available on request. 08 Sec. 21.54.230. Alaska health care clearinghouse. (a) The Alaska health care 09 clearinghouse is established in the division. 10 (b) The clearinghouse shall be administered by the director. 11 (c) The clearinghouse shall 12 (1) administer the Alaska health care program under the direction of 13 the Alaska Health Care Board; 14 (2) disseminate information about health care insurance products 15 available through the clearinghouse; and 16 (3) provide assistance in the enrollment process for a small business or 17 an individual. 18 Sec. 21.54.240. Essential health care services; eligibility. (a) Every resident 19 of the state shall participate in the Alaska health care program except a resident who 20 (1) is a beneficiary of a health care plan that provides health care 21 benefits that meet or exceed the benefits for essential health care services; 22 (2) is eligible to be enrolled in a publicly funded medical assistance 23 program providing services that meet or exceed the benefits required as essential 24 health care services; 25 (3) is enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare; 26 (4) is receiving health care benefits under a health benefit plan 27 regulated by 29 U.S.C. 1001 - 1461 (Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 28 1974) that meet or exceed the benefits for essential health care services; 29 (5) has resided in the state for less than one year; however, a person 30 who has resided in the state for less than one year may receive services provided by 31 the Alaska health care clearinghouse under AS 21.54.230; 01 (6) is an individual insured under an individual state plan of health 02 insurance under the Comprehensive Health Insurance Association under AS 21.55; 03 and 04 (7) is receiving health care benefits under a medical care program of 05 the Indian Health Service that meet or exceed the benefits for essential health care 06 services; however, a person receiving health care benefits under a medical care plan of 07 the Indian Health Service may elect to participate in the Alaska health care program. 08 (b) The Alaska Health Care Board shall provide a voucher to a resident with 09 an income that is not more than 450 percent of the most recent federal poverty 10 guidelines, updated periodically in the Federal Register by the United States 11 Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2), 12 and who is only eligible for coverage through the Comprehensive Health Insurance 13 Association (AS 21.55). A voucher authorized by this subsection must equalize the 14 cost of insurance under the Comprehensive Health Insurance Association with the cost 15 of purchasing a health care insurance plan that provides substantially equivalent 16 benefits through the Alaska health care clearinghouse. For purposes of cost 17 comparison under this subsection, the Alaska Health Care Board shall determine 18 whether a plan provided under the Comprehensive Health Insurance Association 19 provides substantially equivalent benefits to a health care insurance plan offered 20 through the clearinghouse. 21 (c) A resident with an income that is not more than the most recent federal 22 poverty guidelines, updated periodically in the Federal Register by the United States 23 Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2), 24 who is required to participate in the Alaska health care program shall receive private 25 health care insurance coverage for essential health care services at no cost, paid from 26 the fund. 27 (d) A resident with an income between 100 percent and not more than 300 28 percent of the most recent federal poverty guidelines, updated periodically in the 29 Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services 30 under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2), who is required to participate in the Alaska 31 health care program shall pay premiums for health care insurance for essential health 01 care services on a sliding scale established by the board. 02 (e) A resident with an income of 300 percent or more of the most recent 03 federal poverty guidelines, updated periodically in the Federal Register by the United 04 States Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 05 9902(2), who is required to participate in the Alaska health care program shall pay the 06 premium for health care insurance for essential health care services. 07 (f) A person who is an alien is not eligible for assistance under AS 21.54.200 - 08 21.54.310 unless the person is a qualified alien, as defined under 8 U.S.C. 1641, or an 09 alien excepted under 8 U.S.C. 1612(b). However, a qualified alien may only be 10 eligible for assistance under AS 21.54.200 - 21.54.310 if the person is not precluded 11 by the limited eligibility provision of 8 U.S.C. 1613. 12 Sec. 21.54.250. Essential health care services. For purposes of AS 21.54.200 13 - 21.54.310, essential health care services means medical services performed for an 14 individual covered by a health care plan for the diagnosis or treatment of 15 nonoccupational disease or nonoccupational injury. The medical services that must be 16 performed for an individual covered by a health care plan include, as a minimum, 17 (1) preventative and primary care; 18 (2) emergency services; 19 (3) inpatient services and hospital treatment; 20 (4) ambulatory patient services; 21 (5) prescription drug coverage; and 22 (6) mental health services. 23 Sec. 21.54.260. Alternative or additional health care services. (a) An 24 employer may offer health insurance coverage that meets or exceeds coverage for 25 essential health care services. 26 (b) An individual or employer may purchase health care insurance for health 27 care services in addition to the essential health care services required under 28 AS 21.54.200 - 21.54.310. 29 (c) If an employer does not provide a health care insurance plan for employees 30 or provides a health care insurance plan that meets or exceeds coverage for essential 31 health care services but does not enroll at least 25 percent of the employer's employees 01 in the plan or does not offer to pay at least 33 percent of the premium for health care 02 insurance under the plan, the employer shall pay the department as follows: 03 (1) if an employer has at least 10 and not more than 20 full-time 04 employees, the employer shall pay one percent of the employer's gross payroll; or 05 (2) if an employer has more than 20 full-time employees, the employer 06 shall pay two percent of the employer's gross payroll. 07 (d) An employer that establishes a cafeteria plan under 26 U.S.C. 125 (Internal 08 Revenue Code) that offers employees the option to elect health care insurance 09 coverage that meets or exceeds essential health care services is not subject to the 10 payment requirements under (c) of this section, regardless of whether an employee 11 elects to receive the offered health care insurance. 12 (e) In this section, "essential health care services" means those services set out 13 in AS 21.54.250. 14 Sec. 21.54.270. Health care insurance plan; children's coverage. (a) A 15 health care insurance plan that is approved by the director that provides coverage for 16 essential health care services under AS 21.54.200 - 21.54.310 and meets the other 17 requirements established under this title may be offered through the Alaska health care 18 clearinghouse. 19 (b) A health care insurance plan offered through the Alaska health care 20 clearinghouse may not deny enrollment to an eligible individual. 21 (c) A health care insurance plan offered through the Alaska health care 22 clearinghouse may include 23 (1) different benefits for network or out-of-network providers; 24 (2) varied levels of copayment, coinsurance, deductable amounts, out- 25 of-pocket maximums; 26 (3) high deductible health plans as defined by 26 U.S.C. 223(c)(2) 27 (Internal Revenue Code); and 28 (4) special insurance terms applicable only to individuals between 18 29 and 30 years of age. 30 (d) A health care insurance plan offered through the Alaska health care 31 clearinghouse that covers children must provide that the coverage will continue until 01 the earlier of the child's reaching 25 years of age or two years after the child no longer 02 resides with the family. 03 Sec. 21.54.280. Alaska health care fund. (a) The Alaska health care fund is 04 established as a separate trust fund of the state. The fund consists of 05 (1) state money appropriated to the fund; 06 (2) federal money appropriated to the fund; 07 (3) private employer and employee health care contributions or fees 08 received by the department and appropriated to the fund; 09 (4) health care premiums received by the department and appropriated 10 to the fund; 11 (5) other appropriations by the legislature; 12 (6) contributions appropriated to the fund from the United States 13 government and its agencies, or from any other source, public or private, provided for 14 purposes that are consistent with the goals of the Alaska health care program; and 15 (7) interest earnings from investments of the fund appropriated to the 16 fund. 17 (b) Contributions may be made to the fund by an employer, employers, or an 18 individual that is specified for a particular beneficiary. If a contribution is made to the 19 fund for the benefit of a particular beneficiary, the beneficiary shall receive a health 20 care voucher in the amount of the contribution that may be used to purchase a health 21 care insurance plan. Money collected under AS 21.54.260(c) is not considered made 22 for the benefit of a particular beneficiary. 23 (c) The board may use the fund for the purpose of administering the Alaska 24 health care program consistent with AS 21.54.200 - 21.54.310. 25 Sec. 21.54.290. Disputes and appeals. A person is entitled to notice and an 26 opportunity for a hearing under regulations adopted by the Alaska Health Care Board 27 if 28 (1) the board or the Alaska health care clearinghouse denies enrollment 29 to the person; 30 (2) an accountable health care plan refuses to enroll an individual or 31 fails to provide essential health care services; or 01 (3) the person is adversely affected or aggrieved by a decision of the 02 board or the clearinghouse. 03 Sec. 21.54.300. Reporting. The Alaska Health Care Board shall submit a 04 written report on the operation of the Alaska health care program to the commissioner 05 and to the legislature by January 1 of each year. The report must include 06 (1) the number of individuals enrolled in the Alaska health care 07 program; 08 (2) the cost savings to the state, to employers, and to health care 09 providers; 10 (3) a measure of patient satisfaction; 11 (4) an assessment of patient access to essential health care services; 12 (5) a description of the changes or adjustments made to the program 13 during the period covered by the report; 14 (6) a discussion of the state agencies delivering redundant services, if 15 any, relating to health care benefits; 16 (7) an evaluation of state programs that regulate or deliver health care 17 benefits; 18 (8) recommendations for legislative changes necessary to meet the 19 goals of the program; 20 (9) an evaluation of and recommendations on the following topics: 21 (A) the use of electronic health records; 22 (B) children's health insurance programs;  23 (C) the effectiveness of Medicaid and the potential expansion 24 of the Alaska Medicaid program, including a comparison between the costs of 25 expanding the Alaska Medicaid program and the cost of providing benefits 26 through the Alaska health care program; 27 (D) the effect of mandated benefits; 28 (E) prescription drug bargaining; 29 (F) evidence-based treatment procedures including a 30 comparison of the use of evidence-based treatment in other states; 31 (G) the recruitment and retention of medical professionals in 01 the state; 02 (H) expanding offerings of the University of Alaska in medical 03 fields; 04 (I) maximizing federal funding to implement the program; 05 (J) innovations that could produce health care cost savings, 06 including waivers under 42 U.S.C. 1315 (sec. 1115, Social Security Act), 07 which allows experimental, pilot, or demonstration projects likely to assist in 08 promoting the objectives of the Medicaid statute. 09 Sec. 21.54.310. Regulations. The Alaska Health Care Board shall adopt 10 regulations under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act) consistent with 11 AS 21.54.200 - 21.54.310. 12  * Sec. 3. AS 21.54.500 is amended by adding new paragraphs to read: 13 (30) "alien" means a person who is not a citizen or national of the 14 United States; 15 (31) "board" means the Alaska Health Care Board; 16 (32) "fund" means the Alaska health care fund; 17 (33) "resident" or "residency" has the meaning given in AS 01.10.055. 18  * Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 19 read: 20 TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS. Notwithstanding AS 21.54.210, enacted by sec. 2 21 of this Act, the initial terms for members of the Alaska Health Care Board, except for the 22 commissioner of health of social services who serves ex officio, are as follows: 23 (1) four members shall be appointed to serve for a term ending December 31, 24 2009; 25 (2) four members shall be appointed to serve for a term ending December 31, 26 2010; and 27 (3) the remaining members shall be appointed to serve for a term ending 28 December 31, 2011. 29  * Sec. 5. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 30 read: 31 TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS: REGULATIONS. The Alaska Health Care Board 01 established under AS 21.54.210, enacted by sec. 2 of this Act, may proceed to adopt 02 regulations necessary to implement this Act under AS 21.54.310, enacted by sec. 2 of this 03 Act. The regulations take effect under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act), but not 04 before January 1, 2009. 05  * Sec. 6. AS 21.54.210, 21.54.220, and 21.54.230, enacted by sec. 2 of this Act, and sec. 5 06 of this Act take effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 07  * Sec. 7. Except as provided in sec. 6 of this Act, this Act takes effect January 1, 2009.