Legislature(2013 - 2014)HOUSE FINANCE 519
04/14/2014 01:30 PM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB108 | |
| SB127 | |
| SB169 | |
| HB287 | |
| HB316 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 64 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 108 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 178 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 129 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 127 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 169 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 316 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HOUSE BILL NO. 316
"An Act relating to workers' compensation fees for
medical treatment and services; relating to workers'
compensation regulations; and providing for an
effective date."
4:55:50 PM
AT EASE
4:57:27 PM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Stoltze expressed intent to introduce and hold the
amendments.
Representative Gara MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 1 (copy on
file):
Insert "(4) The fee schedules of (A) - (C) of this
subsection shall not be used for any procedure or
service without modification unless those fees are
adequate as written to meet the service charge of
providers in an area so that patient access to quality
medical care is not compromised."
Co-Chair Stoltze OBJECTED for discussion.
Representative Gara pointed to a concern that the workers'
compensation rate would be the Medicare or Medicaid rate.
He understood that it was not the sponsor's intention;
therefore, Amendment 1 clarified that the workers'
compensation rate would not be the Medicare or Medicaid
rates unless they were adequate to ensure patient access to
quality medical care. He stated that the sponsor's
intention was that there would be a multiplier at some
point in time.
Co-Chair Stoltze asked Representative Gara to withdraw the
amendment to be reoffered and heard at a later time.
Representative Gara WITHDREW Amendment 1.
Co-Chair Stoltze explained that the amendment would be
taken up at a later time and the sponsor would have a
chance to comment.
Representative Thompson MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 2 (28-
LS1362\P.l Wallace, 4/8/14) (copy on file):
Page 1, line 11:
Delete "board and adopted by reference"
Insert "medical services review committee [BOARD] and
adopted by the board
[REFERENCE]"
Page 2, line 21:
Delete "(1)"
Delete "board"
Insert "medical services review committee"
Page 2, line 22:
Delete "board"
Insert "medical services review committee"
Page 2, line 23, following "adopted":
Insert "by the board"
Page 2, line 23:
Delete ";"
Insert "."
Page 2, lines 24 - 29:
Delete all material.
Page 3, following line 23:
Insert a new subsection to read:
"(p) The medical services review committee shall
formulate a conversion factor and submit the
conversion factor to the commissioner of labor and
workforce development. If the commissioner does not
approve the conversion factor, the medical services
review committee shall revise the conversion factor
and submit the revised conversion factor to the
commissioner for approval."
Page 4, following line 15:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Sec. 4. AS 23.30.395 is amended by adding a new
paragraph to read:
(42) "medical services review committee" means the
committee established under AS 23.30.0950)."
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 4, line 16:
Delete "AS 23.30.097(j) - (o)"
Insert "AS 23.30.097(j) - (p)"
Page 4, line 18:
Delete "sec. 4"
Insert "sec. 5"
Co-Chair Stoltze OBJECTED for discussion.
Representative Thompson relayed that the amendment came at
the sponsor's request. He explained that in the bill
version P [CSHB 316 (L&C)] the conversion factors were set
by the workers' compensation board with the recommendation
of the medical services review board. Under the amendment
the medical services review committee would directly set
the conversion factor for the new fee schedule, which would
then be submitted to the commissioner of the Department of
Labor and Workforce Development (DLWD). He detailed that
the workers' compensation board was comprised of 18 people.
He stated that it was simpler to use the board that was
already responsible for oversight of the workers'
compensation system, regulation review, and serving on the
hearing panels. The medical services review committee was
made up of 9 people including members of the state medical
association, chiropractic society, nursing home
association, and a healthcare provider.
ANNA LATHAM, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE KURT OLSON, confirmed
the sponsor's support of Amendment 2. She stated that the
amendment would clean up the current bill so that the
medical services review committee would directly set the
conversion factor instead of an 18 person board tasked with
other duties. The amendment would allow the DLWD
commissioner to approve or deny the conversion factor set
by the medical services review committee before the board
adopted it into regulation. The intent was to have a person
at the commissioner level approving the conversion factor
to ensure that it was set at a fair and reasonable price.
Vice-Chair Neuman asked what would happen to the fee
schedule when a new commissioner was appointed. Ms. Latham
replied that the conversion factors would continue to be
set by the medical services review committee on an annual
basis. The commissioner would approve the rates annually.
Vice-Chair Neuman asked about sending a patient outside of
the state for services. Ms. Latham referred to other
legislation sponsored by Representative Olson that would
require that any workers' compensation treatment out-of-
state would be billed at the jurisdiction in which the
patient was treated.
Vice-Chair Neuman noted that it was a different bill. Ms.
Latham replied that currently when a person was treated
out-of-state for workers' compensation claims they could be
billed at Alaska's rates.
Representative Holmes asked about the intent related to
Amendment 2. She wanted more information about the members
on the medical services review committee.
Co-Chair Stoltze replied that no action would be taken on
the amendments during the current meeting.
HB 316 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.