Legislature(2009 - 2010)CAPITOL 106
03/16/2010 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB284 | |
| HR14 | |
| HB328 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | HR 14 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 328 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 284 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 284-PIONEERS HOME RX DRUG BENEFIT
3:07:52 PM
CO-CHAIR HERRON announced that the first order of business would
be SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 284, "An Act requiring
the Department of Health and Social Services to accept federal
prescription drug benefits or to provide comparable benefits for
residents of the Alaska Pioneers' Home, including residents
eligible for discount or free benefits from the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs or the Indian Health Service of
the United States Department of Health and Human Services."
3:08:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LES GARA, Alaska State Legislature, explained
that HB 284 codified that the Alaska Pioneers' Home would ensure
that all prescription medicine benefits that residents were
entitled to from Indian Health Service (IHS) or Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) would be provided by the Pioneers' Home at
the same price.
3:11:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN asked if his military benefits would be
extended to him should he become a resident of the Pioneers'
Home.
3:11:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GARA replied that veterans with more than 51
percent disability were entitled to lifelong free prescription
medicine. He revealed that the communication between the VA and
the IHS with the Pioneer Home was not very good, and had
resulted in a loss of comparable prescription drug service for
the residents with benefits from VA and IHS.
3:13:33 PM
DAVE THERIAULT, Staff to Representative Les Gara, Alaska State
Legislature, in response to a discussion between Representatives
Lynn and Gara, said that there was not a problem for veterans as
long as they could self administer prescription drugs.
3:15:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GARA, in response to Co-Chair Keller, said that
the Pioneer Home policy was "to make it work." He reported that
the Pioneer Home would either accept the prescription drug
deliveries from the IHS and the VA, or would provide the
prescription drug to the beneficiaries at the same price.
3:16:54 PM
RIC DAVIDGE, President, Vietnam Veterans of America, reflected
that this was an excellent example of legislators working with
federal, state, and private organizations to solve emerging
problems. He shared his support of HB 284.
3:18:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked if there were other problems with
prescription medical benefits that were not yet addressed.
3:19:26 PM
MR. DAVIDGE replied that there were other problems and he
expressed his hope that solutions could be coordinated without
legislation.
3:20:06 PM
DAVE COTE, Director, Central Office, Division of Alaska Pioneer
Homes, Department of Health and Social Services, testified that
the department was neutral on the bill, and there was a zero
fiscal note. He said that the Pioneers' Home was already
administering the prescription drugs in accordance with HB 284.
He pointed out that any overbilling to veterans had been
rectified.
3:21:04 PM
CO-CHAIR HERRON asked if the legislation was necessary, or would
future staff also accept this decision.
3:21:30 PM
MR. COTE replied that the legislation was not necessary at this
time, but that he could not predict the future. He offered that
HB 284 would prevent any future re-occurrence of the problems.
3:22:11 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON reflected on the necessity for additional
legislation. He noted that one of his "shirt-tail relatives"
was also a veteran involved in this prescription drug
distribution problem. He applauded the resolution of the
problem.
3:23:37 PM
CO-CHAIR KELLER, in agreement with Representative Seaton,
reflected on the necessity of trust of the administrators and
his dislike for micro management. He stated his disapproval for
additional legislation.
3:24:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN expressed the necessity to address policy
prior to a need, so that there were guidelines "in a measured
way and not in the middle of some kind of a problem."
3:25:20 PM
CO-CHAIR HERRON noted that Co-Chair Keller had worked on this
problem during the interim.
3:25:36 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN moved to report SSHB284 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being no objection, SSHB 284 was forwarded from
the House Health and Social Services Standing Committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HR14_packet.pdf |
HHSS 3/16/2010 3:00:00 PM |
|
| HB328_packet.pdf |
HHSS 3/16/2010 3:00:00 PM |
HB 328 |