Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 106
04/07/2011 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SCR7 | |
| HB209 | |
| HB61 | |
| HB33 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SCR 7 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 209 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 61 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 33 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 209-INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR TOBACCO CESSATION
3:23:34 PM
CHAIR KELLER announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 209, "An Act requiring a health care insurer to
provide coverage for tobacco cessation treatment."
JANE ANN BOER, Intern, Representative Bob Herron, Alaska State
Legislature, paraphrased the sponsor statement for HB 209:
Tobacco dependence is a chronic and lasting condition
that negatively affects the health, productivity, and
overall well being of Alaskans and their loved ones.
Statistics show that tobacco is a leading cause of
death in Alaska. Tobacco addiction kills more
Alaskans each year than suicide, motor vehicle
crashes, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis,
homicide, and HIV/AIDS combined. In 2007, tobacco use
cost Alaskans $314 million in direct medical
expenditures and an additional $177 million in lost
productivity due to tobacco-related deaths.
This bill gives Alaskans the resources and support
they need to end tobacco addiction. It requires
insurance companies to provide smoking cessation
programs to aid those who wish to be free from tobacco
addiction. With the implementation of House Bill 209,
insurance companies would provide coverage for a
minimum of two courses of treatment during each year.
Two courses allow for multiple attempts for those
smokers who continue to work towards ending addiction.
Coverage provides for not less than four counseling
sessions in each course as well as over the counter or
proscribed medication approved by the USFDA.
While coverage includes both counseling and
medication, counseling is not a precondition for
medication so that treatment is flexible to personal
preferences. Data show that programs where
participants may tailor treatment to personal
preferences and needs are the most effective.
This bill provides the assistance many Alaskans need
to end tobacco addiction and live healthy, long,
productive lives. The long term effects of House Bill
209 will be cost savings in medical expenditures,
increased productivity in the work place, lower long-
term insurance costs for insurance providers, and
healthier, happier Alaskans.
3:27:15 PM
MS. BOER opined that a lack of mandates could increase costs for
insurers, as conditions not covered by insurance often go
unchecked, and cost more in the long term. She stated that HB
209 was an inexpensive, preventative measure for the extremely
expensive long term addiction to tobacco.
3:28:32 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON asked if any other states had these
programs.
MS. BOER replied that, of the five other states with these
programs, Oregon had shown the greatest success, with a decrease
of 26 percent.
3:29:29 PM
CHAIR KELLER asked how much it would cost to quit smoking.
MS. BOER replied that the cost could range from $0.66 to $1.20
per year.
CHAIR KELLER asked specifically about the treatments and those
costs.
3:30:10 PM
MS. BOER explained some of the treatments, which included gum,
patches, inhalers, nasal sprays, and lozenges.
3:31:05 PM
REPRESENTATIVE DICK asked about the rates of success.
MS. BOER, in response to Representative Dick, said that she
would supply those statistics. She reported that the bill
allowed for two courses, which included four counseling
sessions, to attempt to quit.
3:31:47 PM
CHAIR KELLER asked who would be covered by this bill. He
pointed out that legislation had no jurisdiction over the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Medicaid, or
Medicare.
3:32:29 PM
MS. BOER reported that about 15 percent of state insured and 34
percent of self insured populations were smokers, but she did
not know if all the individual plans would be required to
comply. She shared that ERISA insurance already included
tobacco cessation treatment. She noted that HB 209 provided
further details to the programs.
3:33:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked if the bill would include the state
insurance and the retiree insurance policies.
MS. BOER replied that both plans were included.
3:34:03 PM
EMILY NENON, Alaska Government Relations Director, American
Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACSCAN), stated that
ACSCAN supported HB 209, and she directed attention to its
letter of support. [Included in members' packets] She shared
that each additional piece of support for tobacco cessation
increased the chances for success. She pointed out the
difficulty to quit smoking, noting that it took an average of
seven attempts to quit permanently.
3:35:49 PM
CHAIR KELLER asked where in HB 209 coverage was declared by the
State of Alaska insurance plan. He asked to clarify that the
Legislature had the jurisdiction over all health care plans.
3:36:21 PM
MS. BOER, in response, said that she would supply that
information.
3:37:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON, referring to page 2, lines 2-4, asked for
the purpose of the provision.
MS. BOER replied that this provision guaranteed that everyone
could receive the treatment, as pre-authorization could result
in some exclusions.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON, referring to page 2, lines 9-11, opined
that pre-authorization was for the knowledge of the cost of co-
payments and deductibles. He asked for more specific
information on the necessity for pre-authorization.
3:39:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA, pointing to page 1, lines 9-11, and to
page 2, lines 7-8, asked about the conflicting statements that
coverage must include the cost of counseling sessions, but then
later in the bill it stated that it was not required. She asked
about the program in other states, and if there were any
statistics for the success of each approach.
MS. BOER replied that the programs varied throughout the other
five states, and that in the model legislation used by HB 209,
there was the choice for either treatment.
[HB 209 was held over.]