2023-02-03                     House Journal                      Page 0129
HB 59                                                                                                                         
HOUSE BILL NO. 59 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                                                    
the Governor, entitled:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
    "An Act relating to Medicaid eligibility; expanding eligibility for                                                         
    postpartum mothers; conditioning the expansion of eligibility on                                                            
    approval by the United States Department of Health and Human                                                                
    Services; and providing for an effective date."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Health & Social Services                                                            
and Finance Committees.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal note(s) apply:                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1.  Fiscal, Dept. of Health                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
The Governor's transmittal letter dated February 2 follows:                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
"Dear Speaker Tilton:                                                                                                           

2023-02-03                     House Journal                      Page 0130
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska                                                                   
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill to allow the expansion of                                                                
Medicaid coverage in Alaska for postpartum mothers. This takes                                                                  
advantage of recent federal amendments to the Social Security Act of                                                            
1935 permitting states to amend their state plans to extend existing                                                            
coverage for pregnant women up to 12 months postpartum.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Under the bill, the Department of Health (DOH) will be authorized to                                                            
extend postpartum Medicaid coverage for enrolled pregnant women up                                                              
to the maximum time authorized under federal law. The bill further                                                              
requires DOH to submit a state plan amendment to the U.S.                                                                       
Department of Health and Human Services under 42 U.S.C.                                                                         
1396a(e)(16), as amended by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021,                                                               
to authorize the extension of coverage for Medicaid-enrolled mothers                                                            
up to 12 months postpartum.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Under the bill, the coverage expansion will only become effective if                                                            
the state plan amendment is approved by the U.S. Department of                                                                  
Health and Human Services. If the department's state plan amendment                                                             
is approved, the expansion would become effective on the day after                                                              
the reviser of statutes is notified by the department of the approval.                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Because the bill permits extension of postpartum coverage to the                                                                
extent permitted by federal law, DOH will be able to seek additional                                                            
extensions of postpartum coverage in the future, should federal law                                                             
subsequently allow it, without the need of further statutory                                                                    
amendments.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor"