04/29/2019 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

            HB 29-INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR TELEHEALTH                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:39:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX announced  that the next order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL NO. 29, "An  Act relating to insurance coverage for                                                               
benefits  provided  through  telehealth;  and  providing  for  an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:39:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 3:39 to 3:41 p.m.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:42:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX opened public testimony on HB 29.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:42:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHRISTOPHER   DIETRICH,   Assistant   Medical   Director,   Orion                                                               
Behavioral Health Network,  expressed his support for HB  29.  He                                                               
offered his  belief that  when patients who  are covered  by both                                                               
private insurance  and Medicaid, receive telehealth  service that                                                               
their private insurance denies, then  the cost is shifted over to                                                               
the state.   He  stated that  this bill would  help the  state of                                                               
Alaska save money and help patients receive better care.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:44:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CLAUDIA TUCKER,  Government Affairs  VP, Teladoc  Health, offered                                                               
support for  HB 29.   She said that  HB 29 will  mandate coverage                                                               
without   getting   into   the   contractual   relationship   for                                                               
reimbursement between providers and the  health plan and does not                                                               
require a prior  in-person [appointment], which she  said is good                                                               
policy.  She reported that  Teladoc Health has 47 Alaska licensed                                                               
physicians working in the state.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:45:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR WOOL asked if the  physicians working for Teladoc Health                                                               
are physically located in Alaska.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS. TUCKER  replied that they  can be both  in Alaska and  out of                                                               
state.   She said that  call volume for 2018  shows approximately                                                               
30  percent  of  calls  were answered  by  physicians  living  in                                                               
Alaska.  She  did note, however, that all  Teladoc physicians are                                                               
at least licensed in this state.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:46:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROBIN   MINARD,  Chief   Communications  Officer,   Matsu  Health                                                               
Foundation, voiced her  support for HB 29.  She  stated that this                                                               
bill addresses and solves both  transportation and access to care                                                               
for Alaskans.   She offered  her belief that  currently, patients                                                               
postpone   preventive  care,   medication   refills,  and   early                                                               
intervention  due to  access, cost,  weather, and  lack of  time,                                                               
which  ultimately increases  overall healthcare  costs when  they                                                               
end up  in the  emergency room (ER).   She said  that HB  29 will                                                               
help to give quality care to more Alaskans.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:49:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LYNN FREEMAN, PhD,  CEO, Mind Matters Research  LLC, testified in                                                               
support of HB  29, stating that it is critical  for the wellbeing                                                               
of  patients in  Alaska.   She  informed the  committee that  her                                                               
research supports the  notion that telehealth can  offer the same                                                               
quality of  care as in-office  appointments.  She  contended that                                                               
in some cases, telehealth can even provide better outcomes.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:51:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WADE ERICKSON,  MD, Capstone Family Medicine,  stated his support                                                               
for HB  29.   He informed  the committee that  he has  been doing                                                               
telemedicine for six years as  a family physician, noting that he                                                               
uses it  for both rural  and local patients.   He said  that with                                                               
proper   use  of   telemedicine,  he   has  seen   a  significant                                                               
improvement in patient  care, access to care, and  a reduction in                                                               
the use of both emergency room and urgent care services.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:53:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR LEDOUX closed public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:53:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  WOOL  moved to  report  HB  29  out of  committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
Without  objection, HB  29 was  moved  from the  House Labor  and                                                               
Commerce Standing Committee.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:53:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 3:53 to 3:56 p.m.